Philippines vice president reveals shocking murder-for-hire plan against top officials
Political crisis hits Philippines as vice president openly discusses hiring hitman to target president and other officials. Security forces boost protection after public threat from daughter of former president
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
