Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has tapped the Presidential Security Command (PSC) to take immediate, proper action on Vice President Sara Duterte's threat on the life of President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, saying they are taking her remarks seriously.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said this after the Vice President announced on a Zoom call during the wee hours of Saturday, Nov. 23, that she had hired an assassin to take out the First Couple and House Speaker Martin Romualdez should a plan to kill her succeeded.

In a statement, the PCO said the Executive Secretary had already asked the PSC, formerly the Presidential Security Group (PSG), to act on the matter.

"Acting on the Vice President’s clear and unequivocal statement that she had contracted an assassin to kill the President if an alleged plot against her succeeds, the Executive Secretary has referred this active threat to the Presidential Security Command for immediate proper action," it said.

"Any threat to the life of the President must always be taken seriously, more so that this threat has been publicly revealed in clear and certain terms," it added.

During the Zoom presser, Vice President Duterte said she had already asked someone to go after the three in case something happens to her.

"May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, 'Kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez.' (I have already talked to someone and told him that if I got killed, kill BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez). No joke. No joke," she said.

"Nagbilin na ako, Ma'am. 'Pag namatay ako, sabi ko, ''Wag kang tumigil ha, hanggang hindi mo mapatay sila.' (I told him that if I died, don't stop until you have killed them). And then he said yes," she added.

In a statement late Saturday afternoon, the PSC said it has already heightened and strengthened its security protocols following the Vice President's pronouncements.

"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," it said.

The PSC said it was taking Vice President Duterte's remarks seriously and considering it a matter of national security.

"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 the utmost seriousness," it said.

"We consider this a matter of national security and shall take all necessary measures to ensure the President's safety," it added.

In an online press conference hours before on Friday evening, Nov. 22, Vice President Duterte claimed that House Speaker Martin Romualdez wants her dead. Asked why she believed so Duterte said it was because she had known him "from the short time that we were together."

"I'm a good judge of character. Mabilis ako maka-a-assess ng isang tao (I'm quick to assess people)," she said.

"Nagkasama kami sa kampanya (We were together during the campaign). And I'm no psychologist, but that man has so much baggage and insecurities sa buhay niya (in his life)," she added.

Quick timeline of Marcos-Duterte friendship

President Marcos and Vice President Duterte ran and won together in the 2022 presidential elections under the UniTeam banner. Duterte was later appointed as the secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) but it was earlier reported that she wanted to lead the Department of National Defense (DND).

Cracks started to appear in May 2023 when Duterte resigned as a member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) party after the "demotion" of Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the House of Representatives.

In September 2023, issues surrounding the budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and confidential funds arose. Duterte even said that those who were against confidential funds were enemies of peace.

Things started turning for the worse in January 2024 when her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, accused President Marcos of being a drug addict, which the latter attributed to his predecessor's long-term use of fentanyl.

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos came to the defense of her husband and admitted in an interview months later that her view of the Vice President had changed after she was seen laughing at the joke. Despite this, Duterte said she respected the First Lady's opinions.

In June this year, Duterte shocked the public when she stepped down as DepEd secretary. She later on said the UniTeam was dead as she and Marcos had already won the elections.

The following month, the Vice President officially left the Marcos Cabinet. The House of Representatives Quad-Committee (QuadComm) probe into her confidential funds came next.

In October, President Marcos said he could not help but feel "deceived" after Vice President Duterte said she was not friends with him despite them running together and winning the 2022 elections. In response, Duterte said the Marcoses used her to win the elections.