Justice Secretary says law agencies ready to protect VP after safety concerns
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said law-enforcement agencies are prepared to protect Vice President Sara Duterte after she said she does not feel safe.
In a press briefing, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida lamented that Vice President Sara Duterte feels unsafe, describing the sentiment as "sad" but insisting that various law-enforcement bodies remain prepared to carry out their protective duties for her and the broader Filipino public. His comments came after the Department of Justice lodged three counts of grave threats against Duterte, stemming from her allegation that she had contracted a hit-man to assassinate President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and former speaker Martin Romualdez if a purported plot against her succeeded.
Duterte posted bail before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court a day after an arrest warrant was issued in the case. Vida emphasized respect for due process, called on citizens to have confidence in institutions, and rejected claims of selective justice, noting that only the President enjoys immunity while in office.
How the sides frame it
LOW AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage centers on Vice President Duterte’s threatening remarks and their connection to her father’s violent legacy, urging readers to consider national-security implications, while centrist coverage highlights the Justice Secretary’s lament that she feels unsafe and stresses that law-enforcement agencies are prepared to protect her and uphold due process.
LEFT
Frames the story as a warning about Duterte’s admission to hire a hitman, linking it to her father’s brutal drug-war legacy and stressing the broader national-security fallout.
CENTER
Frames the story as a governmental response, noting the Justice Secretary’s sadness over her feeling unsafe and assuring that law-enforcement bodies are ready to protect her while respecting due process.
The left emphasises
- ready to employ a hitman if threatened
- feels insecure throughout the Philippines
- echo the violent legacy of her father
- implications of the vice president’s statements for national security and political discourse
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