Philippines boosts security following vice president's assassination claims

Philippine authorities intensified security measures on November 23 after Vice President Sara Duterte made a shocking statement suggesting she had arranged for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to be assassinated if she were killed.

Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, revealed during a fiery press conference that she had spoken to an assassin, instructing him to target Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in the event of her death, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"No joke," Duterte asserted, adding, "I told him, do not stop until you kill them, and he agreed."

This extraordinary declaration underscores a deepening rift between two of the country's most powerful political dynasties. While responding to an online comment about her safety in Congress, Duterte denied facing any immediate threats but cryptically referenced a standing danger to her life.

In response, the Presidential Security Command announced enhanced measures to protect the president and his family, vowing close coordination with law enforcement agencies. Police Chief Rommel Francisco Marbil initiated an urgent investigation, underscoring the seriousness of any threat to the president's life.

However, Duterte later downplayed her comments, stating, "Thinking and talking about it is different from actually doing it," while reiterating the existence of threats against her.

The Vice President’s remarks come amid a growing feud between her and Marcos, once seen as allies after their landslide victories in 2022. Duterte resigned from Marcos' cabinet in June, and tensions have since escalated, fuelled by her public criticism of Marcos' leadership and a significant budget cut to her office orchestrated by Romualdez, a cousin of the president.

Despite the controversy, political analyst Jean Encinas-Franco suggests Duterte's rhetoric could bolster her popularity among her father’s supporters, who appreciate her confrontational style.

The fallout between these influential families threatens to overshadow the upcoming May mid-term elections, viewed as a crucial test of Marcos' governance. The tensions also evoke memories of past political violence, including the 1983 assassination of Senator Benigno Aquino during the Marcos regime.

This dramatic development highlights the volatile state of Philippine politics as the nation navigates an increasingly fraught political landscape.

By Aghakazim Guliyev