Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Senate on the second day of the impeachment trial on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP Sara Impeachment

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178358329743220260707-senate-impeachment-sara-diuterte-MT3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Senate on the second day of the impeachment trial on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA – Malacañang argued Thursday that the supposed “Operation Romanov” that Vice President Sara Duterte’s <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial">impeachment defense</a> team described as a plot to eliminate her entire family cannot be used as justification for her alleged “kill” remark against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. </p><p>Counsel for the respondent Mark Vinluan said during the third day of the impeachment trial that Duterte’s remark, while unconventional, was justified, as she was triggered by a question about the supposed plot to eradicate her family.  </p><p>“When VP Sara uttered those words, she was not responding as Sara Duterte, the Vice President, but Sara Duterte, the wife, mother, daughter, and sister who only sought to protect her own and her family members&#x27; lives,” Vinluan said. </p><p>“&#x27;Operation Romanov&#x27; is in place, and the threat against their lives is real,” he added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial">Impeachment Trial of Sara Duterte </a></div><p>Asked for comment, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro questioned the authenticity of such an operation, saying that the Vice President herself did not offer proof when asked by authorities. </p><p>“Unang-una, sino po ang nagbanggit ng Oplan Romanov, hindi po ba nasa partido ng Bise Presidente, hindi po ba siya ang dapat na magbigay ng mga ebidensiya patungkol dito at hindi ang Palasyo? Siya po ang magbigay ng mga detalye para po magkaroon ng tamang pag-iimbestiga,” Castro said in a press briefing. </p><p>“Binigyan siya ng pagkakataon, sinulatan siya ng NBI para malaman ang mga sinasabing death threats sa kaniya at sa kaniyang pamilya, pero hindi siya tumugon,” she added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/wrap-clips-context-and-questions-on-competence-close-first-week-of-impeachment-trial-2213">Clips, &#x27;context&#x27;, and questions on competence close 1st week of impeachment trial</a></div><p>Castro maintained that the defense cannot use the unfounded plot to justify the remarks Duterte made against Marcos Jr. </p><p>“Hindi natin maiwawaksi ang pagiging Bise Presidente niya at sa pagiging nanay niya. Ang pagbabanta ay pagbabanta, sinuman ka man, nagbanta ka sa buhay ng Pangulo, kahit ikaw ay isang nanay, ikaw ay isang Bise Presidente, walang pagkakaiba iyon, nagbanta ka pa rin sa buhay ng Pangulo,” she said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/wrap-prosecution-presents-videos-nbi-agent-on-duterte-s-alleged-threats-vs-marcos-2126">WRAP: Prosecution presents videos, NBI agent on Duterte’s alleged threats vs. Marcos</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/alfKL5_bp-A?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>’LOWEST LEVEL OF ARGUMENT’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Palace also rejected the alleged “insinuations” during the cross-examination of witness NBI senior agent John Mark Calilung when defense lawyer Carlo Narvasa pointed out that the President has control over the Department of Justice and NBI probing the alleged threat. </p><p>“Unang-una po, hindi naman po talaga dapat maikuwestiyon ang sitwasyon po ng NBI dahil alam po natin ang NBI kahit wala pa pong pagbabanta ang Bise Presidente ay under na po ito ng DOJ at ang DOJ po ay parte ng ehekutibo,” she said. </p><p> “Para ipakita at nag-i-insinuate na may kinalaman ang Pangulo sa pag-iimbestigang ito, ito ay ang pinakamababa sigurong klase ng argumento,” Castro said. </p><p>She also pushed back against former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo who reportedly said in an interview that there was no evidence of grave threat from Duterte whose remarks were “hypothetical and conditional’.</p><p>“Ang pagbibigay po ng salita na kumausap na siya ng tao para patayin ang Pangulo, ang Unang Ginang at ang dating House Speaker, hindi po ito hypothetical, nakita po ito, hindi po ito gawa-gawang isip, hindi po ito pantasya. Sinabi po ito at mismong si Bise Presidente ay hindi pinasinungalingan ang kaniyang mga sinabi, ang kaniyang pagbabanta sa buhay ng Pangulo,” Castro said.  </p><p>“So, wala tayong pag-uusapan tungkol sa hypothetical, hindi po iyan hypothetical dahil mismong si Bise Presidente ang nagsabing ‘no joke, no joke’,” she added.  </p><p>She further cited the Caluag versus People of the Philippines case which ruled that grave threats may or may not be accompanied by a condition.</p><p>“So, ang grave threats ay puwedeng conditional or hindi may kasamang kondisyon,” she argued.                </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/sara-duterte-as-hostile-witness-law-experts-react-1054">VP Sara as hostile witness? Law experts react</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/escudero-warns-prosecution-defense-against-making-concluding-remarks-1442">Escudero warns prosecution, defense against making &#x27;concluding remarks&#x27;</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/defense-no-proof-duterte-contracted-an-assassin-1749">Defense: No proof Duterte contracted an assassin</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/JsQw0sMLBS8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/CIB3KNyYsn0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Malacañang argued Thursday that the supposed “Operation Romanov” that Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense team described as a plot to eliminate her entire family cannot be used as justification for her alleged “kill” remark against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p>

Malacañang argued Thursday that the supposed “Operation Romanov” that Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense team described as a plot to eliminate her entire family cannot be used as justification for her alleged “kill” remark against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Palace says ‘Operation Romanov’ no justification for Duterte’s alleged threat vs Marcos

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Palace says ‘Operation Romanov’ no justification for Duterte’s alleged threat vs Marcos

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 09, 2026 03:53 PM PHT

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Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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