Duterte's threat against Marcos a matter of 'national security' – NSC

Metro Manila, Philippines — The National Security Council (NSC) is treating Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a serious matter of national security.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said on Sunday, November 24, that the government is validating all threats on the President's life.

“We shall be closely coordinating with law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate the nature of the threat, the possible perpetrators, and their motives. We shall do our utmost in defense of our democratic institutions and processes which the President represents,” Año said.

The NSC emphasized that the protection of the President is a non-partisan issue, with Año urging cooperation across all sectors of government.

“We underscore that the safety of the President is a non-partisan issue, and we stand united in our commitment to upholding the integrity of the office and the democratic institutions that govern our great nation,” he added.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has referred Duterte's "active threat" to the Presidential Security Command (PSC) for immediate action.

“Any threat to the President's life must always be taken seriously, especially when such a threat is publicly revealed in clear and unmistakable terms,” Bersamin said on Saturday, November 23.

In response, the PSC announced heightened security measures to safeguard President Marcos, his family, and other government officials following Duterte’s remarks.

In a midnight briefing on the same day, Duterte publicly issued a chilling statement, saying she had instructed an unnamed individual to retaliate against Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez should she be assassinated.

"May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanila, kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez, no joke," she said.

[Translation: "I already talked to someone. I told them, if I get killed, kill Bongbong Marcos, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez—no joke."]

The escalating tension between Duterte and Marcos has raised concerns across the political spectrum, with calls for transparency and accountability regarding the nature of the threat and the security measures being implemented.