Sara Duterte throws party amid serious allegations of plotting Marcos' assassination

In the Philippines, Vice-President Sara Duterte recently faced allegations regarding her purported plot to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos. Instead of attending an official inquiry into these accusations, Duterte hosted a Thanksgiving lunch for numerous journalists at her office. During this gathering, she expressed skepticism about the impartiality of the investigation and accused the government of attempting to remove her from her position through legal means, including impeachment efforts by two political parties. Duterte, 46, had been subpoenaed following her controversial remarks during a November 23 press conference, where she indicated that she had told someone to kill Marcos if there was a threat against her, a statement she later claimed was misinterpreted. The previously strong alliance between Duterte and Marcos has deteriorated significantly, particularly as they prepare for the upcoming midterm elections in 2025. Duterte articulated her concerns about facing possible impeachment, which Marcos has publicly advised against, calling the effort pointless. Despite her provocative statements in the past about harming Marcos and others, she later characterized her comments as merely a rhetorical expression of frustration with the administration. The National Bureau of Investigation has criticized Duterte's absence from the inquiry, stating that a lack of response can be seen as an admission of guilt, further complicating her political future as both she and Romualdez gear up for potential presidential runs in 2028.