Vice President Sara Duterte’s speech in The Hague on Sunday, where she warned her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, that his desire to return to the Philippines could mark “the end of his life” and that he might “become the next Ninoy Aquino Jr.,” has drawn sharp rebuke from the Palace.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed the comparison, reminding the public that former President Rodrigo Duterte had never likened himself to Ninoy Aquino but instead openly embraced a far darker historical figure.

“Did former President Duterte ever compare himself to Ninoy? No. Instead, he compared himself to Hitler,” Castro said in Filipino during a press briefing. “He even said — and I quote — ‘Hitler massacred 3 million Jews. Now there are 3 million drug addicts? I’d be happy to slaughter them. If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have me.’”

Castro’s statement was a direct counter to VP Duterte’s rhetoric in The Hague, where she implied that Marcos Jr.’s administration was orchestrating the downfall of her father, much like how the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was accused of involvement in Ninoy Aquino’s assassination in 1983.

Fear tactics

The Palace also dismissed concerns raised by Duterte allies that the former president’s life was in danger, urging them to provide evidence instead of making dramatic claims.

“Where is this story coming from? Where is this Ninoy Aquino comparison coming from? Where are these so-called threats?” Castro asked. “Up to now, these alleged threats have not been reported to the NBI or PNP. Before making such statements, there should be materials and evidence. There is no truth to this.”

The Duterte family and their supporters have been vocal in suggesting that the ICC case against the former president is a political maneuver that could lead to his imprisonment or even assassination. The Palace, however, maintains that no credible threats exist and that Duterte’s fears are unfounded.

Beyond VP Duterte’s controversial remarks, the Palace also hit back at claims that former President Duterte had paved the way for the Marcos family’s political resurgence.

“The one who brought President Marcos back was the people, not one person,” Castro emphasized. “If you remember, wasn’t it former President Duterte himself who doubted President Marcos? He even said, ‘PBBM is a weak leader.’ How can he claim to have uplifted the dignity of President Marcos when he himself was the one pulling him down?”