Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile urged calm amidst escalating tensions between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, emphasizing unity for the nation’s sake.
“I think the less we talk about that, the better. My God, we are one country, one people,” Enrile stated during an ambush interview at the Senate. “Let us cool it down, cool it down for the sake of the country.”
Heated Exchange: Duterte’s Controversial Statement
The conflict deepened following Vice President Duterte’s explosive comments during a recent virtual press conference. Duterte alleged a threat to her safety and claimed she had issued a shocking directive to retaliate against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez in the event of her assassination.
“I’ve already spoken to someone… I told that person to kill BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez if I were to be killed,” Duterte said in Filipino. She later clarified her remarks, stating they were not threats but an attempt to highlight her security concerns, adding they were “taken out of logical context.”
Presidential Response and NBI Action
President Marcos denounced the Vice President’s remarks, calling them a criminal act.
“Such plans against a President cannot be taken lightly. If that is so easy to plan, how much more for ordinary citizens?” Marcos declared in a video statement. “This kind of criminal attempt should not go unchallenged.”
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has since subpoenaed Duterte to formally explain her remarks, labeling them a matter of national security. NBI Director Jaime Santiago clarified that no individual has yet been identified as a person of interest in the case.
Broader Context
Duterte’s comments come amidst a House investigation into alleged irregularities in the budget allocations of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during her term as head of both offices.
Enrile’s call for restraint aims to prevent the feud from further destabilizing the country. “We are one people,” he reiterated, appealing for calm amid the unfolding political drama.