Says VP must answer funds misuse issue, not resort to drama

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. condemned the threats to his life issued by the Vice President, noting that “this kind of criminal plotting must not be ignored.”

“It is alarming to hear statements of unrestrained cursing and threats to kill some of us,” Mr. Marcos said, breaking his silence on the issue.

“If it is that easy to plan the assassination of a president, what more for ordinary citizens?” he added.

The President vowed to uphold the Constitution and ensure accountability.

“This kind of criminal plotting must not be ignored. It is something I will firmly oppose,” he said. 

The President issued the strongly-worded statement after Vice President Sara Duterte lashed out against the First Couple and his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The Vice President said she contacted an assassin to kill the presidential couple and Romualdez if something happened to her.

Duterte eventually explained her threat was “maliciously taken out of logical context” as it was conditional.

Mr. Marcos likewise criticized efforts to hinder the ongoing investigations in Congress, where issues involving public accountability are being fleshed out.

Mr. Marcos said the “political drama” would not have happened if all individuals appeared and cooperated in the House panel’s investigation into the Vice President’s use of confidential funds.

“Ang katotohanan ay hindi dapat i-tokhang (The truth must not be silenced),” he said, referring to the bloody war on drugs during his predecessor’s term.

“This issue would have been resolved if public servants simply honored their oath to tell the truth and not obstruct the process,” he said.

While expressing respect for Congress as a co-equal branch of government, Mr. Marcos underscored the importance of transparency and cooperation to address national challenges.

“We must not let political schemes drag the country into the mud,” he said. 

“Let us respect the process, uphold the law, and fulfill the trust given to us by millions of Filipinos,” he added.

The President also reaffirmed his commitment to governance despite the political tensions, reiterating that the rule of law must prevail in all situations.

Romualdez, for his part,  challenged Duterte anew to explain her alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education received in 2022 and 2023 when she was concurrent education secretary.

In remarks before his colleagues, Romualdez said the Vice President’s threat was “both alarming and unprecedented” and was “not just reckless — it is dangerous.”

“Let me be clear: This is no joke. This is no longer normal speech. This is a direct threat to our democracy, our government, and the security of our country,”  Romualdez said.

He likewise defended the House from the attacks and breach of protocols by Duterte, urging his colleagues to join him in this effort.

He said the Vice President’s allegations that he was plotting to destroy her because of her supposed political ambitions in 2028 were “unfounded and baseless” and “are a desperate attempt to distract from the real issues at hand.”

“The truth is crystal clear: My job as Speaker is to serve, not to destroy. The politics of destruction has never been part of my principle,” he said.

He accused the Vice President of making baseless accusations “to divert attention from mounting evidence of fund misuse under her leadership at the OVP and DepEd.”

“The issues surrounding confidential and intelligence funds, the questionable disbursements, and the lack of transparency demand answers. We will not tolerate and accept vague explanations and evasive responses,” he said.

As this developed, Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, sponsored on Monday a resolution expressing support for the President and the Speaker.

House Resolution No. 2092 expressed the body’s unequivocal support for Mr. Marcos and Romualdez in the “face of serious and dangerous remarks and defiant acts that threaten the very foundation of democratic governance, rule of law, and public trust and integrity of government institutions.”

“The importance of this resolution cannot be overstated. As members of this honorable and highly esteemed institution, it is our responsibility to uphold the dignity, honor and integrity of the House of Representatives,” Gonzales said.

Duterte was Mr. Marcos’ running mate in the 2022 presidential election that saw their ticket win in a landslide.

Duterte’s Saturday press briefing came shortly after House officials ordered to transfer her chief of staff Zuleika Lopez—being held for contempt—from the lower chamber’s detention center to a correctional facility.

Lopez has been detained since Wednesday, when she was cited for allegedly interfering in a congressional probe into the OVP’s finances.

Duterte stepped down from her Cabinet post of education secretary in June as relations between the two families reached breaking point. With AFP

Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “President Marcos condemns assassination threats.”