The widening rift between the two most powerful political families in the Philippines became public after the Southeast Asian nation's Vice President Sara Duterte said that she would have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated.

The Philippines VP Sara Duterte threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated if she was killed.

Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday if she is killed, she has contracted an assassin to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos and House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The Philippines' security council will verify an alleged assassination threat by Vice President Sara Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a top official said on Sunday, describing it as a "matter of national security".

Sara Duterte held an early press conference to announce she had directed someone to kill Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, his wife and the speaker of the House.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte sparked outrage by claiming she ordered an assassin to target President Marcos Jr. and key allies if she is killed, later insisting the remarks were exaggerated.

MANILA (Reuters) -Philippine security agencies stepped up safety protocols on Saturday after Vice President Sara Duterte said she would have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated if she herself were killed.

Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday she has contracted an assassin to kill the president, his wife and the House of Representatives speaker if she herself is killed, in a brazen public threat that she warned was not a joke.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said on Saturday she would have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated if she herself were killed, prompting Marcos' office to vow "immediate proper action".

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said she has contracted a hired killer to assassinate her country's president in a bizarre public threat made amid worsening political divisions.