Philippine Vice President Summoned for Questioning over Assassination Remarks

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has been summoned by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for questioning over her weekend statements that she had hired an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. if she were to be killed.

The summons, which Duterte received on Tuesday, requires her to appear at the NBI offices on November 29th. She will be questioned over the alleged offense of making a grave threat and possible violations of the anti-terrorism law.

Duterte's remarks, made during an online press conference on Saturday, have sparked controversy and intensified the ongoing rift between her and President Marcos. The two are children of former presidents and were once allies, with Duterte serving as Marcos' running mate in the 2022 elections.

In her statement on Tuesday, Duterte defended her remarks, claiming they were a "conditional act of revenge" and not an actual threat against Marcos' life. She accused the administration of twisting her words to create a false narrative.

However, unlike the president, the vice president does not enjoy immunity from prosecution. The justice ministry has confirmed that Duterte could face charges related to her statements.

This latest development comes amidst ongoing investigations into both Duterte and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. Congress is probing the younger Duterte over alleged misuse of public funds, while her father is facing scrutiny over thousands of killings during his "war on drugs" campaign.