Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday refuted Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that he is plotting to kill her, dismissing the accusation as a “desperate attempt” to divert attention from questions about her office’s use of public funds.
“These accusations are not only untrue, but they are also a blatant effort to shift focus away from the real issues,” Romualdez stated during a House session. He emphasized his role as Speaker, saying, “My job is to serve, not to engage in smear campaigns. Such politics have never been part of my principles.”
Vice President Duterte earlier alleged that Romualdez was planning to have her killed. She also claimed that if she were assassinated, a person had been contracted to target President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and Romualdez himself. The Speaker is a cousin of the President.
Romualdez described the claims as an attack on the integrity of the House of Representatives and an attempt to sow division. “We choose unity over division and dialogue over conflict. Why make such baseless accusations? It’s to distract from the ongoing probe into the misuse of public funds,” he said, referencing a House inquiry into the Vice President’s office, including over ₱600 million in confidential funds.
He challenged Duterte to address the concerns directly: “If you have nothing to hide, why not answer the questions?”
