The government is considering filing sedition charges—or potentially more serious offenses—against Vice President Sara Duterte following her death threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.

In a press briefing on Monday, Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres said that Duterte is now viewed as the “mastermind” behind the alleged plot to assassinate the President, the First Lady, and the Speaker, following her admission of hiring a hitman to kill them in the event of her own death.

Andres emphasized that the premeditated nature of the plot, as disclosed by Duterte herself, will lead to legal consequences. 

“Based on our initial assessment, sedition is a possibility. We are also exploring other potentially more serious criminal offenses, but grave threats and sedition are clearly under consideration,” Andres said.

He further noted that the DOJ is looking into possible charges of conspiracy and has enlisted various government agencies to investigate the location and identity of the alleged assassin hired by Duterte.

However, Andres clarified that the DOJ has not yet made any formal decisions and stressed that due process must be followed. 

“Every angle must be investigated, and every party given an opportunity to be heard,” he said, adding that the appropriate charges would be determined in due time.

The DOJ official also reiterated that the government will deploy all available resources to identify the hitman and hold accountable anyone involved in the criminal plot to harm the President, asserting that the case would be addressed with the full force of the law.

Duterte made the remark over the weekend after a meltdown during an online briefing following the arrest of her chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, who was detained after being cited in contempt.