In a shocking turn of events vice president Sara Duterte has publicly stated she hired a hitman to eliminate Ferdinand Marcos Jr his wife and the house speaker if shes assassinated. The vice-presidents statement wasnt meant as a joke — it shows the deep political divide thats formed since their joint victory about 2 years ago
Iʼve given my order. ʼIf I die‚ donʼt stop until youʼve killed them.ʼ And he said‚ ʼyesʼ
The conflict has roots in their family histories: Sara Duterte is the daughter of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte (whose anti-drug campaign is now under international investigation) while Marcos Jr is the son of a former dictator who lost power in the mid-80s. Their partnership which seemed strong during elections has fallen apart due to different views on policy-making especially about dealing with China in the South China Sea
The presidential security team has stepped-up protection measures and is working with other agencies to protect the first family. Ms Duterteʼs issues with the administration include:
- Claims about corruption
- Questions about leadership skills
- Supposed targeting of her family members
The situation got worse when Marcos Jrʼs allies detained Dutertes chief-of-staff Zuleika Lopez over budget-related questions. The military chief Romeo Brawner tried to calm things down saying theyʼll stay neutral and respect civilian authority — but the political damage seems done