Claims of assassination plot vs. Duterte baseless, Palace says

Former president Rodrigo R. Duterte. (Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Malacañang on Monday dismissed as baseless the claims of security threats against former president Rodrigo Duterte as raised by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.

During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro addressed questions regarding the remarks made by the Vice President, who had drawn comparisons between her father’s potential return to the Philippines and the assassination of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

Castro expressed skepticism over the fears raised by the Duterte family, questioning the sources of such stories.

She even pointed out that despite the claims of threats on the life of the Vice President, there has been no concrete evidence presented to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or the Philippine National Police (PNP) regarding any security risks to her or her father.

“So, saan lamang po ito nakukuha, kailangan po natin kasi na mga materyales na mga ebidensiya bago po magsagawa ng ganitong mga klaseng statements, wala pong katotohanan iyan (So, where do they get this? We need materials and evidence before making these kinds of statements. There is no truth to that),” the Palace official said.

Not Ninoy but Hitler

Castro, likewise, frowned at the Vice President’s comparison of her father to the late senator.

She then cited the former president’s own statements, where he previously compared himself to Adolf Hitler rather than to Aquino.

“Mayroon po siyang sinabi mismo, sinabi pa niya dito (He said something) and I quote, ‘Hitler massacred three million … Now there is three million, what is it? Three million drug addicts in the Philippines. I’d be happy to slaughter them. At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have me’,” Castro said.

The Palace official emphasized that comparing former president Duterte to Aquino, a figure who was never associated with mass murder or crimes against humanity, was wrong.

“Napakalayo pong ipakumpara ang dating Pangulong Duterte kay Ninoy Aquino na hindi nagkaroon ng anumang record ng mass murder or crimes against humanity (It is a far cry to compare former President Duterte to Ninoy Aquino, who did not have any record of mass murder or crimes against humanity),” Castro said.

“Mas ninais po ni dating Pangulong Duterte na ikumpara ang sarili niya kay Hitler (Former president Duterte preferred to compare himself to Hitler),” she added.

Duterte is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands. He is facing crimes of humanity charges before the International Criminal Court for his bloody war on drugs as mayor of Davao City and as president.