Bella Cariaso - The Philippine Star
October 13, 2026 | 12:00am
Vice President Sara Duterte and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — Instead of explaining her alleged ties to Chinese money, Vice President Sara Duterte claimed she was being targeted by the administration, and has been considered a “threat” by President Marcos since 2023.
Marcos over the weekend said it could be a national security threat “at the highest level” if the company linked to Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio indeed received funds from China.
“It’s worrying that such a statement would come from (Bongbong Marcos) because it seems like he has admitted that since 2023 they have considered me a threat. This is worrying because he is saying that the Vice President is a threat to the country,” Duterte said at a press conference yesterday.
She added that Marcos’ statement has serious implications on her security and the security of the Philippines.
Marcos has ordered an investigation after an Anti-Money Laundering Council report exposed remittances from China to Cale88 Foods Corp., a firm linked to Carpio, who held a substantial 47.5 percent stake.
“Marcos‘ statement clearly states that for him, doing business with China is a threat to the security of the Philippines. This carries the connotation of a warning to Filipino businessmen doing business in China,” she said.
“And above all, the statement explicitly accuses China of interfering in the internal affairs of the Philippines. Although it lacks sufficient justification, it is a bold and dangerous challenge to China – a country with a long history of relations with the Philippines. This is serious. And it could have a serious impact on our relationship with China,” she added.
Duterte and members of her family, including detained former president Rodrigo Duterte, have always been perceived to be soft on China, particularly on the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.