MANILA — Malacañang maintained Thursday that Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged threat against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was an actual statement and not a hypothetical scenario, saying the Vice President herself publicly made the remark and never retracted it.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said arguments presented by Duterte’s camp during the Senate impeachment trial fail to change the fact that the statement was uttered openly and described by Duterte as “no joke.”
“This was not invented, imagined, or speculative. The statement was heard publicly, and the Vice President has not denied saying it,”
Castro said during a briefing.
She added that the Palace sees little basis for treating the statement as a mere hypothetical condition because Duterte herself characterized it as serious.
Castro further disputed the defense’s position that the alleged threat cannot be considered grave threats because it was conditional. Referring to Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code and the Supreme Court decision in Caluag v. People, she said the offense may exist regardless of whether a condition accompanies the threat.
Questions over ‘Operation Romanov’
The Palace official also challenged the Duterte camp to substantiate its claim regarding the supposed “Operation Romanov.”
Duterte’s lawyers earlier argued before the impeachment court that the Vice President made the controversial statement because she feared for her family’s safety due to an alleged operation targeting them.
Castro said the burden of proving the existence of the operation rests with Duterte’s camp. She pointed out that the National Bureau of Investigation had previously requested information from the Vice President regarding the alleged threats against her family, but no cooperation was given.
“She should present the details so authorities can conduct a proper investigation,”
Castro said.
Even if such an operation existed, she argued, it would not excuse a threat against the President.
“A threat remains a threat, regardless of who makes it,” she said.
NBI acting within its mandate Castro also rejected insinuations that President Marcos influenced the investigation because the NBI falls under the Department of Justice.
According to her, the NBI acted independently and in accordance with its legal responsibilities after Duterte’s remarks became public.
“The NBI has a mandate to investigate matters involving the protection of the President,” she said.
She described allegations of presidential interference as weak and unsupported, emphasizing that the investigation was prompted by statements made in public and witnessed by the public.
The Senate impeachment trial against Duterte officially began on July 6 after the House impeached her in May 2026. The articles of impeachment include allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, misuse of confidential funds, bribery, unexplained wealth, and grave threats arising from her November 2024 remarks involving Marcos, the First Lady, and former Speaker Romualdez.
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