MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers on Saturday condemned Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent assassination remark, with some suggesting that her behavior may warrant a psychological evaluation.
In an online press conference early that morning, Duterte made a shocking statement, claiming that if she were killed, she would have issued an order to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. She stressed that the order was “no joke.”
House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Representative Paolo Ortega described the Vice President’s comments as “reckless and dangerous” and “not normal.”
“This kind of remark coming from a high-ranking government official is not normal. We should ask if Vice President Duterte is in the right state of mind. These words are dangerous, reckless, and deeply concerning,” Ortega said in a statement.
Other lawmakers echoed Ortega’s concerns, with several calling for a formal review of Duterte’s mental state given the gravity of her comments. The controversial remark comes amid ongoing political tensions involving the Vice President and members of the Marcos administration.
Additionally, he urged Duterte to consider her statements that can incite fear and to get help from professionals if she struggles to control her emotions.
“These kinds of words are not helping the country. Instead of uniting, these words cause fear and fall out.” , Ortega stated.
“Perhaps it’s time to get professional assistance if she is unable to regulate her emotions,” he continued.
Furthermore, he called on law enforcement to look into Duterte’s statements, stressing that it is their responsibility to protect the nation’s top leaders.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Saturday confirmed that Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has referred the “active threat” made by Vice President Sara Duterte to the Presidential Security Group (PSG) for immediate action.
Duterte’s controversial comments, made in an online press conference, claimed that she had ordered the killings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The remarks have sparked backlash from lawmakers who are calling for a serious review of her mental state and questioning the timing of her statements.
Meanwhile, House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales 1st District Representative Jefferson Khonghun dismissed Duterte’s remarks as a “deliberate diversion” from the ongoing probe into the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
The VP has been under scrutiny for the P612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to her office, which some lawmakers say has yet to be properly explained.
“Let us not be deceived. The real issue here is the P612.5 million in confidential funds that the Vice President needs to explain to the public. We should not fall for these diversionary tactics,” Khonghun said in a separate statement.
He urged the public not to be distracted by the VP’s remarks and emphasized the need for transparency in government spending.
Khonghun also accused Duterte of using the controversy to deflect attention from the critical issue. “Instead of addressing the allegations head-on, she is creating distractions that only sow fear and division,” he said.
The House has been conducting hearings on the alleged misuse of the P612.5 million of confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
A recent House inquiry found that the OVP and DepEd had submitted around 4,500 acknowledgment receipts to the Commission on Audit (COA) to account for the use of the funds.
Khonghun called for lawmakers and the public to stay focused on the issue of transparency and accountability, stressing that “public funds are for the people, and not for personal interest.” “The people deserve transparency and accountability, not theatrics,” he added.
