Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is confronting a criminal complaint for allegedly urging violence against senators during a heated election rally. The Department of Justice received the incitement to sedition case following his explosive suggestion to "stage a bomb attack" targeting lawmakers to create vacancies for his PDP-Laban party.
"Let's kill senators now so there will be vacancies. If we can kill about 15, we're in," Duterte declared at Thursday's campaign event.
Police Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III warned that dismissing such rhetoric as humor risks emboldening extremists. "Followers may act on these threats," he stated, referencing Duterte's history of deadly drug war policies linked to thousands of deaths.
The controversy erupts as campaigns intensify for May's mid-term Senate elections. Duterte insists his remarks were jokes, but critics highlight parallels to his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte's ongoing impeachment trial over alleged assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Key developments:
- DOJ evaluates criminal charges linked to election violence risks
- International Criminal Court probes Duterte's anti-drug campaign deaths
- Growing political rift between Duterte and Marcos factions
Analysts note this case amplifies scrutiny of Duterte's authoritarian legacy, particularly his pattern of violent rhetoric. "Threats normalized under his presidency now face legal reckoning," political journalist Maria Santos told Manila Today.