AUGUST 18, 2024Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Franciso MarbilPHOTO FROM PNP FB PAGE

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to investigate Vice President Sara Duterte’s remarks about killing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a statement on Saturday afternoon, PNP said, “In light of Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent statement, which directly referenced an assassin contracted to target the President, the PNP recognizes the grave nature of this matter.”

“The PNP Chief, Police General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, has directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to conduct a thorough and immediate investigation into this issue,” it added.

Following an order to transfer her detained chief-of-staff to a women’s prison, Duterte told the press Saturday early morning that she instructed a person to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in the event that she was killed.

READ: Sara Duterte’s kill remark vs Marcos is ‘active threat’ – Palace

“May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘Kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke. Nagbilin na ako,” Duterte said during the online press conference.

(I already talked to a person. I told the person, ‘If they kill me, kill Bongbong Marcos, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke. I’ve left instructions.)

Marcos and Duterte were once allies under the “UniTeam” tandem for the 2022 elections.

The national police force said in its statement, “The safety of the President is a national concern and any direct or indirect threat to his life must be addressed with the highest level of urgency.”

“We assure the public that the PNP will work diligently to ensure the safety of all concerned and will take the necessary legal actions in accordance with the law,” it added.

Malacañang Palace responded in its own statement Saturday morning, saying Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin referred the matter to the Presidential Security Command for “immediate proper action” and calling the remarks an “active threat.”

Duterte’s press conference came after her chief-of-staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, was ordered to be transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women from her detainment at the Batasang Pambansa Complex.

READ: House orders transfer of VP Duterte’s aide to women’s prison

Lopez was detained by the House after being held in contempt for undue interference in the chamber’s inquiry into alleged anomalies in the budget use of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, which Duterte once led.

Following Lopez’ detention, the vice president visited her Thursday and spent the night in the office of her brother Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, later declaring that she would stay there “indefinitely.”

As the order to transfer Lopez was being served, Duterte “physically” intervened, according to House Sergeant-at-Arms Napoleon Taas in a press conference Saturday morning.

READ: Sara Duterte blocks execution of House order on Lopez detention change

Lopez, however, fell ill and was rushed to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center then transferred to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City.

READ: Sara Duterte’s chief of staff falls ill, rushed to hospital

Taas claimed that doctors found Lopez to be in a normal condition and questioned why she had to be brought to another hospital.

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On Saturday afternoonofa168, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco announced that physicians at St. Luke’s examined and cleared Lopez and had her brought back to Veterans hospital by 1:15 p.m.

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