Philippines ruling coalition rift deepens as vice president threatens president

A political rift in the Philippines’ ruling coalition deepened as Vice President Sara Duterte issued incendiary remarks about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., reportedly claiming she had planned for his assassination if she were killed, according to local media.

In comments that sparked strong reactions from the presidency, Duterte stated she had arranged for a person to kill Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos, and his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, in the event of her death. The controversial statement was first reported by the news outlet Inquirer.net.

“I already talked to a person. I told the person, ‘If they kill me, kill Bongbong Marcos, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke. I’ve left instructions,” Duterte said during an online press conference late Friday.

The presidential palace responded sharply, calling her remarks an "active threat" to the president’s life.

“Acting on the Vice President’s clear and unequivocal statement that she had contracted an assassin to kill the President if an alleged plot against her succeeds, the Executive Secretary has referred this active threat to the Presidential Security Command for immediate proper action,” a statement from the palace read.

It added, “Any threat to the life of the President must always be taken seriously, more so that this threat has been publicly revealed in clear and certain terms.”

The remarks mark a new low in relations between the two leaders, underscoring the deepening divide within the ruling coalition. Duterte resigned from her Cabinet post in June, citing differences with Marcos, though she retained her role as vice president.