Quezon City 4th district Rep. Jesus "Bong" Suntay tried to downplay Vice President Sara Duterte's infamous death threat against President Marcos during the House Committee on Justice hearing Tuesday, March 3 on the lady official's impeachment case.

What Suntay got in return was a dose of reality from Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Janice Degamo, who was still grieving from the cold-blooded killing of her husband and then-governor, Roel, three years ago.

In a televised media interview-meltdown in November 2024, Vice President Duterte claimed to have tapped an assassin to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez in the event that she herself gets slain.

Suntay framed this as a non-serious threat. "Common sense dictated that if you are really serious in killing someone, you do not announce it to the whole world," he said in a manifestation.

"Why would you announce that you would kill someone if you really intend to kill someone? Common sense dictates otherwise," added the deputy minority leader, who basically repeated what his argument.

Quietly listening to Suntay was Degamo, whose husband was gunned down by armed men in broad daylight just outside their home in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

She then broke her silence to educate her colleague from Quezon City and others on just how serious a death threat can be.

"Madam chair, I would like to speak from a personal experience. My husband, the late governor [Roel] Degamo, before he was murdered--by the way, we will be remembering his third death anniversary tomorrow (Wednesday), March 4--he received threats before he was tragically murdered,” Degamo said.

“The threats at first were conditional, like if you do this, something will happen," she recalled. "But then even though they were conditional, the fear and intimidation they caused were very real. Conditional threats can turn into actual harm."

Degamo likened these warnings to the statements made by Duterte--the second highest official of the land--against the Marcos couple and Romualdez.

“Nangyari po ‘yun sa amin (That happened to us). In the same way, when the VP reportedly made statements implying harm to the President, the First Lady and the former Speaker, those statements are serious even if raised as conditional. Kasi (Because) words from someone in her position carry weight,” the widow noted.

According to the congresswoman, such declarations “can intimidate other officials, can influence decision, and even undermine public trust".

“That is why in impeachment terms, such conditional threats are considered sufficient in substance. It's not just the wording that matters, it's the effect and potential for harm, especially when the speaker holds high office,” she reckoned.

“Maybe words from ordinary people maybe limited in effect. But threats from a person who is holding a national leadership post carry far-reaching consequences. Kaya nga po (That's why), public office demands higher standards of behavior,” Degamo further said.

Meanwhile, Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. wondered out loud where or not Suntay was "lawyering" for the Vice President.

“I do not know if he is lawyering for the Vice President because I would even think that he is right now defending her. Pero [But] you have seen the video… that amounts to a credible threat against the President, the First Lady and the Speaker,” he said.

Abante described Duterte's threats as “a red flag for national stability and constitutional order".

“Why?  Because the Vice President is not a private citizen. The wife of Congressman Suntay is a private citizen. But not the Vice President. The Office of the Vice President (OVP) carries access, influence and security resources. That is why the standard for public trust is higher, not lower,” Abante said.

Suntay had earlier joked in the hearing that his wife threatens to "kill him" from time to time whenever he gets on his nerves.

"But you know, I am still alive and my wife only gives me with love (sic)," he told the committee.