MALACAÑAN, Manila — Following threats from Vice President ‘Inday’ Sara Duterte-Carpio that she will have President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and his family assassinated if she is killed, national security adviser Eduardo Año stressed that all threats to the president—and even the vice president—are taken seriously.

In an official statement, the retired general who heads the National Security Council (NSC) stated that “any and all threats against the life of the President shall be validated and considered a matter of national security.”

On Saturday, VP Duterte declared that she would have Marcos, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and First Lady Maria Louise ‘Liza’ Araneta-Marcos assassinated if she were killed.

“(We are) closely coordinating with law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate the nature of the threat, the possible perpetrators, and their motives. We shall do our utmost in defense of our democratic institutions and processes which the President represents,” Año announced.

He urged the public “to remain calm and confident in the knowledge that the security sector will ensure the President's safety and will always uphold at all times the constitution, our democratic institutions, and the chain of command.”

“We underscore that the safety of the President is a non-partisan issue, and we stand united in our commitment to upholding the integrity of the office and the democratic institutions that govern our great nation,” he added.

At the Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center (VMMC), VP Duterte stated that she will answer all the comments regarding her threat in the proper forum.

“Medyo pagod ako ngayon. But in a proper time, I can answer everything. Tsaka nagmamadali rin talaga ako,” she said as she accompanied her chief-of-staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez who earlier fell ill amid the House of Representatives’ order to transfer her to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) clarified that the Vice President’s derrrogatory statement has been referred for immediate proper action to the Presidential Security Command (PSC) which has already implemented tighter security measures in Malacañan Palace and its premises.