DOJ probes VP Sara Duterte's hiring hitman claim

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating Vice President Sara Duterte's statement that she hired someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if an alleged plot against her succeeds.

Duterte made the threatening remark during a media conference at the House of Representatives on Saturday morning.

The DOJ is now probing Duterte's claim that she has contracted someone to kill Marcos Jr. and his family members, according to Malacañang on Sunday.

Former Senator Leila de Lima, who previously served as Justice secretary, said Duterte's statement could lead to criminal charges under the Revised Penal Code or special laws, emphasizing that threatening a sitting President is a serious matter.

Both the Presidential Security Command (PSC) and National Security Council (NSC) consider Duterte's remarks as a national security issue, while she claims her statement was not intended as a threat but rather to highlight an alleged security risk.