President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. returned fire at tirades and alleged death threats thrown by Vice President Sara Duterte even as he chided her for allegedly resorting to drama to evade congressional investigation and hide the truth about fund misuse allegations against her.

“Ang katotohanan ay hindi dapat i-tokhang,” Marcos declared, borrowing the much-dreaded phrase used during the 2016 drug war that was linked to extra judicial killings blamed on the administration of Vice President Duterte’s father, the former President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a video statement released on Monday (November 25), Marcos decried the alleged threats made by Duterte she has advised somebody to kill him, his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, in case she is assassinated.

“Ang ganyang kriminal na pagtatangka ay hindi dapat pinalalagpas. Iyan ay aking papalagan,” Marcos said.

The chief executive. in a video statement released on Monday (November 25) said: “Ang ganyang kriminal na pagtatangka ay hindi dapat pinalalagpas. Iyan ay aking papalagan.”

While Duterte had indeed made disclosure that she has ordered the assassination of the three cousins, she clarified that this is based on the premise that it will happen if she is killed first.

Marcos chided the vice president for her continued refusal to heed invitations of Congress to appear in congressional investigations into alleged misuse of millions of pesos in government funds by her office.

“Hindi na sana hahantong sa ganitong drama kung sasagutin lamang ang mga lehitimong katanungan sa Senado at sa House of Representatives,” said Marcos.

He stressed: “As a democratic country, we need to uphold the rule of law.”

According to the president the controversy behind the congressional investigation would have ended if only Duterte cooperated with the legislative chambers.

Marcos asked the vice president to observe what she had pledged to do as a public servant, adding that this is to tell the truth.

“Kahit ang buong executive branch, lahat ng mga ahensya ay hindi nakakaligtas at parating dumaraan sa kanilang pagsusuri,” he said, referring to congressional investigations.

“Sa kabila ng pambabatikos, nakatuon ang aking pansin sa pamamahala. Ngunit hindi natin ikokompromiso ang rule of law, kailangan manaig ang batas sa anumang sitwasyon sinuman ang tamaan,” stated marcos.

He stressed: “Kaya hindi ko hahayaan magtagumpay ang hangarin ng iba na hatakin ang ating bansa sa burak ng pulitika.”