Virgilio Lorenzo Jr

Sara Duterte’s 'kill threat' against Marcoses may be basis for impeachment, lawmakers say

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim of having contacted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if a supposed plot to kill her succeeds, may be a basis for impeachment, according to House Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun.</p><p> But he and House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chairperson Rep. Joel Chua noted that there are no talks yet of such impeachment at the House of Representatives.</p><p> “Kung ang mga binitawang salita ba ng ating bise presidente ay tingin ko impeachable offense ba ito? Tingin ko, personal na opinion ko ito, oo,” Khonghun told the media on Tuesday.</p><p>“Pero kung tatanungin ninyo ako kung napag-uusapan ba ito sa Kongreso, hindi pa namin ito napag-uusapan, dahil abalang-abala kaming lahat sa pag-attend ng meeting. Marami rin kaming panukalang batas na kailangan ayusin. Naghahabol din kami dahil malapit na ‘yung break,” he added.</p><p> “Sa ngayon wala pa kaming napag uusapan tungkol dyan,” Chua also said.</p><div><strong>NBI STEPS IN</strong></div><p>This, as the National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday served a subpoena for Duterte to explain her alleged threat to assassinate  Marcos Jr.</p><p>She  is being investigated for grave threats, and possible violation of the anti-terrorism act.</p><p>The NBI has requested Facebook to preserve the video of Duterte&#x27;s press conference so that it could be used as evidence. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/26/sara-duterte-faces-subpoena-over-kill-plot-vs-marcos-vp-says-threat-a-plan-without-flesh-1230" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sara Duterte gets subpoena over kill plot vs Marcos; VP says threat a ‘plan without flesh’</a></div><p>But in a statement, Duterte said her remark &quot;does not constitute to an active threat.&quot; </p><p>&quot;Common sense should be enough for us to understand and accept that a supposed conditional act of revenge does not constitute to an active threat. This is plan without a flesh,&quot; the Vice President said.</p><p>&quot;Tossing the word &#x27;assassin&#x27; into this issue makes things even more terrifying - and especially because I never used that term during my recent consternation against the Marcos administration&#x27;s failure to serve the Filipinos while it masterfully persecutes political enemies,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I am confident that an honest scrutiny would easily expose this narrative to be farce, imagined, or nothing at all.&quot; </p><p>Duterte said that her statement was &quot;taken out of its logical context,&quot; and that the &quot;Marcos administration&#x27;s insistence that the President&#x27;s life is under active threat is ominous.&quot; </p><p>&quot;I raise this caution as the President and his sycophants aggressively sell a narrative based entirely on my statement, which is taken out of its logical context,&quot; she said. </p><p>&quot;There is absolutely no flesh on the bone, and despite the absence of a reliable investigation, authorities were quick to consider this a national security concern,&quot; she said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/26/-i-have-to-die-first-sara-duterte-explains-condition-of-revenge-plot-vs-marcoses-1522" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&#x27;I have to die first&#x27;: Sara Duterte explains condition of &#x27;revenge&#x27; plot vs Marcoses</a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h8gaE4azqEo??si=_R5GKFQKCsJZhisM&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim of having contacted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if a supposed plot to kill her succeeds, may be a basis for impeachment, according to lawmakers.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim of having contacted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if a supposed plot to kill her succeeds, may be a basis for impeachment, according to lawmakers.