Filipino VP threatens to throw President Marcos Jr's father's remains into the sea

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has escalated a bitter feud with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., threatening to dig up the remains of his late father, dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., and throw them into the sea. The startling remarks came during a Friday press conference, as Duterte lashed out at her former ally and accused him of driving the country “on a road to hell.”

Once political allies, Duterte and Marcos Jr. ran together on a joint ticket in the 2022 election, securing a landslide victory. But Duterte resigned from the cabinet in June, and their two powerful political dynasties are now locked in a fierce battle ahead of next year’s midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race, the Guardian reported.

For the Duterte family, the stakes are high. Sara Duterte’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, is under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity related to his brutal “war on drugs,” which left thousands dead.

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Sara Duterte’s attack on Marcos Jr. was her most scathing yet. She criticized his administration for lacking clear policies to tackle inflation and food security and recounted personal grievances from their political partnership. Duterte recalled a moment she described as a turning point, when Marcos allegedly humiliated a young graduate during a public event. “I wanted to remove his head. I realized the relationship was already toxic,” she said, making a cutting gesture with her hand.

The tensions between the two politicians have been building. Recently, Duterte has faced accusations of misusing public funds—allegations she has denied—as well as renewed scrutiny of her father’s war on drugs during parliamentary hearings. These hearings revealed claims that the office of Rodrigo Duterte paid police officers up to $17,000 in rewards for killing drug suspects, a practice he has denied authorizing, though he repeatedly threatened drug dealers with death throughout his presidency.

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Marcos Jr. has previously stated he would not cooperate with the ICC’s investigation into the drug war, but analysts suggest that his stance could shift depending on the political dynamics.

In her latest salvo, Sara Duterte issued a direct threat, warning that if political attacks against her continue, she would desecrate Marcos Sr.’s remains. “One of these days, I will go there. I will get the body of your father and throw it in the West Philippine Sea,” she said, referring to the area of the South China Sea that Manila claims.

The burial of Marcos Sr. has long been a source of controversy. In 2016, when the Duterte and Marcos families still enjoyed close ties, Rodrigo Duterte allowed the late dictator’s burial with full military honors. Marcos Sr. is accused of plundering up to $10 billion from state coffers and overseeing widespread human rights abuses during his rule.

Cesar Chavez, the presidential communications secretary, said President Marcos Jr. would not be responding to Sara Duterte’s remarks.