House prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon pushed back against Vice President Sara Duterte’s remarks on gun violence and questioned her claim that hiring a gunman in the country is as easy as paying ₱5,000 per kill.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Ridon said Duterte may have a “violent mind” after she discussed the alleged price of hiring a gunman in the Philippines.
“I think the Vice President has a violent mind, hindi ho ba? She's being prosecuted today on threats. The last thing I think any person being investigated for threats would do is talk about threats,” Ridon said
Ridon was reacting to Duterte’s remarks during a rally in The Hague, Netherlands, where she questioned whether deaths linked to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, should automatically be considered extrajudicial killings (EJK).
The vice president cited gun violence and other possible causes of death, saying that hiring a gunman in the Philippines could allegedly cost as little as ₱5,000.
Ridon then questioned whether the amount mentioned by Duterte was also the price involved in her previous threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family.
“Ito ho ba ang presyo na iginawad ng ating pangalawang pangulo noong siya po ay nagbanta laban sa Pangulo at sa kanyang pamilya? Is the price of the life of the president ₱5,000 only?” Ridon said.
In November 2024, Duterte said she had hired someone to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.
The issue comes after the Senate impeachment court recently concluded its proceedings on Article IV of Duterte’s impeachment complaint, which concerns alleged threats against Marcos.
House trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong also questioned why Duterte appeared to know the alleged cost of hiring a hitman.
Meanwhile, Ridon said Duterte’s remarks about the supposed ₱5,000 cost of hiring a gunman should not divert attention from the allegations involving the alleged ₱612.5 million in confidential funds.
Ridon made the statement after two former LandBank branch managers testified before the impeachment court and presented checks, bank records and sworn testimonies concerning the encashment of confidential funds.
“She may try to change the conversation, but she cannot make the checks, bank records and sworn testimony disappear,” Ridon said.
He also said government officials should not normalize statements about violence.
