Vice President Sara Duterte revealed that she had warned the family of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that she would dig up the body of their patriarch, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., and throw it into the West Philippine Sea if they continued to attack her. This startling statement offered a rare glimpse into the escalating tension between two of the most powerful political families in the Philippines.
“I told Senator Imee, if you don’t stop, I will dig the grave of your father and I will throw him to the WPS,” Duterte said during an interview with reporters. She explained that the threat was made in a group chat that included unnamed individuals.
Duterte’s remarks come as her relationship with President Marcos Jr. becomes increasingly strained. Responding to reporters’ questions about their rift, she emphasized the need for the President to focus on national issues, rather than personal grievances. “You’re a president now. Do you still give weight to your feelings?” she asked, criticizing Marcos for claiming that he may have been “deceived” about their friendship.
The Marcos family, particularly President Marcos’ cousin Speaker Martin Romualdez, has played a central role in congressional actions targeting Duterte’s office, including the investigation into alleged misuse of confidential funds. The House also cut Duterte’s secret funds, further heightening tensions.
Some lawmakers condemned Duterte’s comments as disrespectful. House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong said that “threatening to desecrate the dead just to shift the narrative is utterly unacceptable.” Meanwhile, Rep. Rodge Gutierrez described Duterte’s remarks as a “new low in public discourse.”
