Ortega questions ‘double standard’ in VP Duterte threat case

Sara Duterte (L) and Francisco Paolo Ortega V. FILE PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V on Saturday questioned what he called a “double standard” in the handling of Vice President Sara Duterte’s statement that she had instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez if she were killed.

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Ortega compared Duterte’s case to the 2020 arrest of public school teacher Ronnel Mas, who was accused of offering P50 million on Twitter to anyone who would kill then President Rodrigo Duterte.

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“If an ordinary teacher was arrested for offering P50 million in a post to have the President killed, why is it suddenly just free speech when the Vice President says she spoke to someone who would kill the President, the First Lady and the Speaker if something happened to her?” Ortega said in Filipino.

Ortega said Mas later apologized for the post and described it as a joke.

“We are not belittling the right to free speech. But if a teacher’s joke or post was immediately treated as a serious threat then, why are some now trying to make it appear that the Vice President’s much heavier statement is not a serious threat?” he said.

The La Union lawmaker said Duterte’s statement carried more weight because it was made by the country’s second-highest official, who is first in the line of succession to the presidency.

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“In the teacher’s case, there was an alleged P50-million offer to kill the President. In the Vice President’s case, she herself said she had spoken to someone and that if she were killed, BBM, First Lady Liza and Speaker Romualdez should be killed,” Ortega said in Filipino.

“If we treated the first case seriously, we should treat the second even more seriously,” he added.

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Ortega said the issue was not about silencing criticism or political opposition but about applying the same standard of accountability to ordinary citizens and powerful officials.

“The Vice President’s opinions are not on trial here. Making threats are not opinions. The more important question here is: Is she fit to hold the second-highest public office if she behaves this way?” he said.

Ortega said the Senate impeachment court should be allowed to hear the evidence, weigh the context and decide whether Duterte’s statement was protected speech or a serious breach of public trust.

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“If the defense says there is nothing wrong, then they should face the process. Present the explanation, present the evidence and let the impeachment court decide,” he said in Filipino. /dm