VICE President Sara Duterte has defended her controversial remarks delivered before supporters outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands, saying the statement that drew widespread attention was taken out of context and that her speech was intended to underscore the worsening problem of gun violence in the Philippines.
Duterte issued two statements on July 30, a day after clips of her July 29 speech circulated widely online. She maintained that public discussion had focused on a single sentence while overlooking the broader message she intended to convey about the country's peace and order situation.
"Gun Violence is a reality not just a clickbait," Duterte said, stressing that the issue should not be reduced to a sensational headline or a passing controversy.
Her clarification came after portions of her speech outside the ICC detention facility in The Hague went viral on social media. Speaking before a crowd of supporters gathered outside the detention where former President Rodrigo Duterte is being held pending trial for crimes against humanity, the Vice President said she could hire a gunman for ₱5,000 to kill her husband's alleged mistress, adding that the statement illustrated how pervasive gun violence had become in the Philippines rather than expressing an actual intent to commit violence.
The remark quickly became one of the most discussed moments of her address, drawing criticism and generating extensive discussion online.
Several media organizations reported the statement, while social media users circulated short video clips highlighting the "₱5,000 gunman" remark.
In her statement, Duterte argued that the public's attention should instead be directed toward what she described as the country's worsening security situation.
"It is a fact that gun violence in the Philippines has become alarmingly commonplace. This is not clickbait, nor is it a headline that should be reduced to a passing remark," she said.
She added that reports of shootings, killings, kidnappings, stabbings, sexual violence, and other violent crimes have become increasingly common, leaving many Filipinos anxious about their safety.
According to Duterte, the frequency of violent crimes has created an environment where many people no longer feel secure in their own communities.
"The reality is — Filipinos do not feel safe," she said.
She further asserted that ensuring public safety should be treated as a national priority rather than becoming secondary to debates over a single statement made during her speech.
"The safety of the Filipino people must be treated as a national priority, not a mere single line of news item. This is not just about a remark and another piece of news for Sara Duterte, this is about our children and their future," she said.
In a separate statement released later Thursday, Duterte called out Abante, accusing the news organization's editorial and social media departments of publishing what she described as a "deliberately spliced and misleading" video of her speech.
The Vice President specifically objected to a social media post carrying the caption "I CAN HIRE A GUNMAN FOR ₱5,000," saying it extracted only one sentence from her address while omitting the explanation that immediately followed.
"The circulating post is a clear example of a statement being taken out of context and presented in a misleading manner to generate public outrage and online engagement at the expense of accuracy and responsible journalism," Duterte said.
She argued that isolating a single sentence from the speech created an impression that was inconsistent with the intent and substance of her message, which she said centered on the prevalence of gun violence in the country.
Duterte urged news organizations to observe fairness and provide complete context in reporting, saying journalism should prioritize accuracy over sensationalism.
"The Filipino people deserve journalism that informs truthfully, reports responsibly, and presents facts in their proper context. Public discourse is strengthened not by sensationalism, but by integrity, fairness, and respect for the truth," she said.
The Vice President's explanation echoed the context she provided during her speech in The Hague, where she argued that the ease of allegedly hiring a gunman illustrated broader concerns about criminality and gun-related violence. She also raised questions about how authorities distinguish ordinary gun-related killings from deaths linked to the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign, saying these issues deserved greater public attention.
The speech formed part of a gathering of Duterte supporters outside the ICC detention facility in The Hague, where former President Duterte remains in custody while awaiting trial before the international tribunal over allegations of crimes against humanity stemming from his administration's anti-drug campaign. The rally drew Filipinos from various European countries expressing support for the former president and criticizing the ICC proceedings.
The controversy over the Vice President's remarks has since fueled debate over political messaging, media framing, and responsible reporting, with Duterte insisting that the controversy obscured what she described as the more pressing issue of public safety and the continuing incidence of violent crime in the Philippines. DEF
