Deputy Speaker Janette Garin on Friday warned against what she described as the growing normalization of threats in public discourse, saying a "culture of threats" has been "weaponized" and should never be accepted, particularly when it comes from elected officials.

Speaking during a House of Representatives press conference, Garin emphasized that threatening to kill someone is fundamentally different from other forms of threats and cannot be justified by anger, political disagreements, or personal grievances.

“Na-weaponize yung kultura na parang sinasabing okay lang magbanta. Mali nga yun,” Garin said.

She made the statement as House prosecutors defended the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, which includes allegations related to grave threats against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Garin stressed that threatening violence is unacceptable regardless of the circumstances and that public officials have a greater responsibility to demonstrate proper conduct.

“Threatening somebody, especially if you are in an elected position or maski hindi elected position kapag iyon nasa posisyon ng superiority... hindi makatarungan na barilin mo o patayin mo ang iyong empleyado dahil nagalit ka,” she said.

She added that anger should never serve as justification for threatening another person's life.

"Maski galit ka or meron kang inaayawan, hindi ito rason para magbanta ka sa iba. Lalo na kapag ito ay banta ng mga pagpapatay,” Garin said.

The deputy speaker also expressed concern over the increasing prevalence of online threats, saying social media has amplified such behavior and exposed more people to intimidation.

“Sa totoo lang, nagugulat rin ako eh kasi wala naman ito nung unang panahon. But now, social media, our phones, kapag may ginawa ka at parang hindi sang-ayon dun sa isang tao, may mga trolls ka agad na magbabanta sa'yo, magbabanta sa kasamahan mo sa pamilya. And this is again wrong,” she said.

Garin warned that allowing threats to become normalized could negatively influence younger generations.

“Hindi ito nararapat at hindi ito dapat gayahin ng ating future generations. Imagine a chaotic world, a chaotic country kung saan kapag magalit yung estudyante at nainis sa teacher, pagbabantaan niya, papatayin. Mali yun,” she said.

She also said elected officials must be held to a higher standard because public office carries accountability.

“Kaakibat ng ating posisyon ay pananagutan. Hindi pwedeng gawing normal yan,” Garin added.

In addition, House prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua argued that the alleged threat against President Marcos was not an ordinary case because it involved the country's head of state.

“Ito pong pagbabanta na ginawa po, ito po ay hindi ordinaryong pagbabanta. Dahil ito pong pagbabantang ito ay pagbabanta sa head of the state. Ibig sabihin po, ito po ay pagbabanta sa Pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas na nagre-representa sa ating bansa,” Chua said.

He added that the impeachment proceedings seek not only to hold the Vice President accountable but also to send a message that public officials must uphold the Constitution and serve as role models.

“Gusto rin po natin ipakita sa mga bata, sa mga kababayan natin, na ganito po ay mali po. Hindi po ito ang dapat na asal... lalong-lalo na po yung mga nasa pinakamatataas na posisyon sa ating lipunan,” Chua said.

The statements were made as the Senate continues the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte, with one of the articles of impeachment centered on allegations that she made grave threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.