24 Nobyembre,2024 Linggo
No to Divorce!!!
Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez
No to SOGIE bill
PM for any hospital discharge problem
Happy Birthday Rosita Belmonte-Jose more birthdays to come
Happy Birthday Jo Ephraim Lopez more birthdays to come
Family of the late Jocelyn “Jo” Lising-Abelgas appreciates every moments shared by friends and relatives in their bereavement
VP’s ‘kill’ remark is active threat-PSC
By Nidz Godino
“Any threat to life of the President must always be taken seriously, more so that this threat has been publicly revealed in clear and certain terms,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in statement relayed through Presidential Communications Office (PCO) security detail for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been put on alert over “active threat” against his life by Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Statement followed expletive-laced press conference Duterte alleged she was the subject of assassination plot and that she ordered member of her security team to kill the President should it succeed.
Duterte and Marcos families have seen their alliance unravel in spectacular fashion in recent months, trading accusations of drug addiction and increasingly extreme rhetoric ahead of next year’s midterm elections and presidential polls in 2028.
Two families are at odds over foreign policy and former president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs, among others.
“I already talked to person in my security… I told him if I get killed, kill BBM ,Ferdinand Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta and the President’s cousin and Speaker Martin Romualdez…no joke,” Duterte said at press conference that began after midnight. “I said, if I die, don’t stop until you have killed them.”
She was responding to online commenter urging her to stay safe, saying she was in enemy territory as she was at premises of House of Representatives with her detained chief of staff Zuleika Lopez.
Lopez was having her own virtual briefing when Duterte took over. “This country is going to hell because we are led by person who doesn’t know how to be president and liar,” Duterte said at her briefing.
Hours later, PCO said “this active threat has been referred to Presidential Security Command for immediate proper action.” Duterte’s office did not immediately respond to request for comment on PCO statement. Under Philippine penal code, such public remarks may constitute crime of threatening to inflict wrong on person or his family and is punishable by jail term and fine.
PSC said it is under “heightened and strengthened” protocols. “Pursuant to directive of the Executive Secretary, the Presidential Security Command (PSC) has its security protocols…we are also closely coordinating with law enforcement agencies to detect, deter, and defend against any and all threats to the President and the First Family, any threat to the life of the President and the First Family, regardless of its origin and especially one made so brazenly in public is treated with utmost seriousness…we consider this matter of national security and shall take all necessary measures to ensure the President’s safety,” it said.
Duterte is facing threat of impeachment in House of Representatives, led by Marcos’ cousin Romualdez, widely expected to run for president in 2028. The House of Representatives led by Romualdez has slashed Office of the Vice President’s budget by nearly two-thirds.
She has also had messy falling out with the President’s wife Liza Araneta-Marcos, had accused her of laughing at January event where her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, accused Marcos of being “drug addict.”
Duterte called her late-night press conference after House officials said they would transfer her chief of staff detained after being cited for contempt from chamber’s detention center to correctional facility.
Lopez was ordered detained by House committee on good government and public accountability on Wednesday after being accused of “undue interference” in committee proceedings focused on Duterte’s spending of her confidential funds.
At her press conference, Duterte also called out Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. for “sleeping so soundly” when the first couple and the Speaker were “taking millions of taxpayer money for their own pleasures.” It was not clear what message she was trying to relay to the military chief.
She accused Marcos and his wife of “putting undue pressure” on her people at the OVP.
“During campaign I talked to businessmen if the President’s promise for P20 per kilo of rice is possible, they said no,it’s either he did not know what he’s talking about that’s so incompetent or that he was lying through his teeth to get votes of the people,” Duterte said.
The Vice President claimed it was First Lady who orchestrated cash envelope distribution scheme at Department of Education.
“You’ve been grilling my people because of those envelopes… Liza Marcos, you sent me video message asking me where we would get the money and you showed the person’s face in the video message,” Duterte said, without identifying the person.
“You sent me written instructions about money, millions a month…anong nakalagay sa envelope… DepEd…anong ginawa ko…ibinigay ko sa DepEd, you don’t have government post and yet you’re giving away government funds, then you’re going to tarnish the name of my people at the OVP,” she said addressing the First Lady. She also accused lawmakers of “making it appear that envelopes were from the confidential funds.”
“I was trying to restrain myself because I needed to work… I just wanted you to finish your show at the House of Representatives so we can go back to work,” she said. Duterte said congressmen “go along with the show” during hearings because “they need money for elections.”
The Speaker, she claimed, was plundering taxpayers’ money and enriching himself through illegal business interests in illegal drugs and in Philippine offshore gaming operators,the President banned earlier this year.
She taunted Romualdez for aspiring to be president in an election that she claimed he would never win.
“You may remove me from the presidential race, you still won’t win…no one will vote for you because you buy, harass and order kidnappings against your opponents…no one will vote for you, not even for senator, vice president or president, I don’t even know if you will win reelection in Tacloban….it appears you won’t…who in the whole Philippines would want you back in Congress?” she said.
.Earlier, former and current DepEd officials accused Duterte at several House committee hearings of handing out envelopes of cash. Lawmakers expressed suspicion cash came from confidential funds and used to bribe officials to skirt procurement guidelines.
Duterte stepped down from Cabinet post of education secretary in June as relations between two families reached breaking point.
Months earlier, her father had accused Marcos of being addict, with the President the next day claiming his predecessor’s health was failing due to long-term use of powerful opioid fentanyl. Neither provided evidence to their allegations.
In October, Duterte felt “used” after teaming with Marcos for May 2022 election, they won by landslide. Duterte remains constitutional successor to the 67-year-old president.
In the Philippines, the vice president is elected separately from the president and has no official duties. Many vice presidents have pursued social development activities, while some have been appointed to Cabinet posts.
Nation is gearing up for midterm elections in May, seen as litmus test of Marcos’ popularity and chance for him to consolidate power and groom successor before his single six-year term ends in 2028.
ISKUP! 