VP's Remarks Showed 'Capability,' Not Mere Threat, House Prosecution Spokesperson Says

VICE-PRESIDENT (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio’s remarks against President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., his wife and cousin allegedly demonstrated “capability” rather than a mere threat, Lanao del Sur Rep. Ziaur-Rahman A. Adiong said on Sunday. In a statement, Mr. Adiong, who is also the spokesperson for the House prosecution panel, said in a DZRH interview that the prosecution’s position is anchored on Ms. Duterte’s own claims of an alleged arrangement with another person to kill the President, First Lady Marie Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, if she were assassinated. “That is no longer a threat,” he said in Filipino, “What is that now? The capability is already there.” The remarks made during her Nov. 23, 2024 virtual briefing are among the charges Ms. Duterte is facing before the Senate impeachment court. Mr. Adiong argued that the Vice-President’s statements went beyond the kind of threats commonly uttered in anger because they described an alleged agreement that had already been reached. “This isn’t just a threat, the kind we normally hear when someone is angry, like ‘You’re dead meat,’ ‘I’ll punch you,’ or ‘I’ll kill you,’” he said in Filipino, “This is different. The premise behind the VP’s statement was, ‘I have already spoken to someone.’ That implies there is an actual agreement or understanding in place.” — Pexcel John Bacon