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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Joke or not, VP Sara's grave threats vs Marcos were serious, Palace says

Joke or not, VP Sara's grave threats vs Marcos were serious, Palace says

Published Mar 4, 2026 02:43 pm
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Malacañang asserted that the threats made by Vice President Sara Duterte against President Marcos in late 2024 were serious and should not be dismissed as mere jokes.
"Seryoso po, kahit biro o hindi biro ang pagbabanta sa buhay ng isang pangulo (Threats to a President's life are serious whether it was made as a joke or not),"  Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a briefing on Wednesday, March 4.
Castro made the statement after Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay tried to downplay Duterte's infamous death threat against Marcos during an online press briefing in November 2024.
The Palace official stressed that grave threats are different from cases of murder, homicide, or physical injuries, pointing out that grave threats cover threatening to commit a crime against a person, their honor, or their property.
"It involves threatening another person with infliction of crime on the person, in the honor and the property of that person being threatened," Castro said.
No matter what the conditions are, the threat was still there, Castro stressed.
"Kung sa ibang tao o sabihin na natin, doon sa mga nagsasabing hindi seryoso ang mga salitang 'Patayin mo ang isang tao kapag...' o 'I will kill you if…' Kahit ano pa ang kondisyon niyan, nandoon ang pagbabanta, nandudoon ang pagki-create ng fear and anxiety in the person being threatened, nandudoon ang intimidation (If it were said to an ordinary person—or let’s say, to those who claim that the words ‘Kill someone when…’ or ‘I will kill you if…’ are not serious—no matter what the condition is, the threat is still there. It creates fear and anxiety in the person being threatened, and it constitutes intimidation," the Palace mouthpiece argued.
"Kung sa pamilya kaya nila ito gawin, tumawag ang isang tao at sabihing, 'I am imagining myself killing you,' hindi ba sila mati-threaten? Nasasabi lamang nila ito dahil hindi sila ang na-threaten (If this were done to their own family—if someone called and said, 'I am imagining myself killing you'—wouldn’t they feel threatened? They’re only able to say those things because they are not the ones being threatened)," Castro added.
On Nov. 23, 2024, Duterte said she hired an assassin to have Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez killed if ever something happened to her.
She later backpedalled, saying there would be no benefit for her if Marcos dies.

Related Tags

President Marcos Vice President Sara Duterte Bong Suntay Claire Castro death threat
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