A STRONG President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., issued a video statement addressing the assassination threat on him, his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez by Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a tirade early Saturday morning at the House of Representatives, an emotional Vice President said that she contracted a person to kill Marcos, Araneta-Marcos, and Romualdez, saying it “no joke.”
But before departing for the United Arab Emirates, Marcos vowed to block “criminal attempts” amid Duterte’s remark.
”Kung ganun na lang kadali ang pagplano sa pagpatay ng isang Presidente, papaano pa kaya ang mga pangkaraniwan na mamamayan?” Marcos said in his video statement.
”Yang ganyang kriminal na pagtatangka ay hindi dapat pinapalampas. ‘Yan ay aking papalagan,” Marcos added.
The Chief Executive did not mention the name of Duterte but was obviously referring to her in his statement.
‘Kuwentong chicheria’
”Ang katotohanan ay hindi dapat i-tokhang. Tapos na sana ang usapang ito kung tutuparin lamang ang sinumpaang panata na bilang lingkod bayan ay magsabi ng totoo, at hindi hahadlangan,” Marcos said.
”Imbes na derechahang sagot, nililihis pa sa kuwentong chicheria,” the President said, taking a strike at ‘Mary Grace Piattos,’ a signature that appeared in acknowledgment receipts for confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Marcos had said that such statements were “alarming.”
“Nakakabahala ang mga pahayag na narinig natin nitong mga nakaraang araw. Nandiyan ang walang pakundangang pagmumura at ang pagbabanta ng planong ipapatay ang ilan sa atin,” he said.
Likewise, the Department of Justice (DOJ) had said that a subpoena would be issued against the vice president following her assassination remark.
Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres noted that the Vice President has no immunity against suit.
”Labindalawang taon din ako nanungkulan sa magkaparehong kamara ng Kongreso. Batid ko ang kapangyarihan iginawad sa kanila ng taumbayan at ng ating Konstitusyon. Dahil dito, iginagalang ko ang kanilang gawain bilang isang independenteng sangay ng ating republika,” Marcos said.
