By Brian Campued
House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday called out Vice President Sara Duterte for her “reckless” and “dangerous” statements of allegedly contracting an assassin to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and himself.
“Let me be clear: Hindi na ito biro. Hindi na ito normal na pananalita. Isa itong direktang banta sa ating demokrasya, sa ating pamahalaan, at sa seguridad ng bayan,” the Speaker said in his speech at the House of Representatives.
Romualdez also stressed that Duterte’s remarks undermine public trust in governance and the rule of law.
“Such a statement is not just reckless, it is dangerous. It sends a chilling message to our people, a message that violence can be contemplated by those in positions of power,” he said.
“This is not just an affront to the individuals targeted; it is an attack on the very foundation of our government. It is an insult to every Filipino who believes in the rule of law and the sanctity of life. Violence has no place in our society. It is irreconcilable with the values that have taught and guided us for years—values of respect, and amicable peaceful conflict resolution,” he added.
The Speaker, likewise, refuted Duterte’s “unfounded and baseless accusations” against him—that he is supposedly plotting to destroy the Vice President ahead of the 2028 national elections—as a “desperate attempt” to distract the people from the real issues at hand.
“Malinaw ang katotohanan: Ang trabaho ko bilang Speaker ay maglingkod, hindi manira. Ang pulitika ng paninira ay hindi kailanman naging bahagi ng aking prinsipyo,” Romualdez said.
“These unfounded accusations are not just about me. They are an affront to the House of Representatives. They are an attempt to erode public trust in this institution, to sow division, and to create chaos. We choose unity over division, dialogue over conflict, and cooperation over confrontation,” he added.
Romualdez also warned the Vice President that “no amount of noise can drown out” the truth, referring to the probe on the alleged misuse of the confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in 2022 and 2023.
“Kung wala kang itinatago, bakit hindi sagutin ang mga tanong? Karapatan ng taumbayan na malaman ang katotohanan,” he said.
“Hindi ito personal. Ito ay usapin ng pananagutan at tiwala ng taumbayan. Instead of providing clarity, we have seen attempts to shift the narrative, to create distractions, and to fabricate stories,” he added.
Meanwhile, Romualdez rallied his colleagues to defend the integrity of the House of Representatives and not let Duterte’s tirades and breach of protocols “pass as mere rhetoric.”
“Ang Kongreso ay sagrado. Ang mga patakaran at seguridad dito ay hindi nilalabag. Ang paglabag sa mga ito ay kawalang-galang sa taumbayan na ating pinaglilingkuran,” he said.
“Ipaglaban natin ang dignidad ng Kongreso. Ipaglaban natin ang katotohanan. Ipaglaban natin ang ating demokrasya. This is not about personal interests; it is about preserving the integrity of the House of Representatives and ensuring that it remains a strong and credible voice for the Filipino people,” he said.
The Speaker made the statement after Duterte held a briefing at the House of Representatives—where her chief of staff Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez was detained—and admitted that she had already talked to a hitman about assassinating the First Couple and Romualdez in case she gets killed. (with report from Mela Lesmoras/PTV News)
—iro