Palace: No 'serious threat' on Duterte's life

FOLLOWING President Rodrigo Duterte's persistent claim that the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) wants to kill him, Malacañang assured Friday, August 24, that there is no "serious" threat on the Chief Executive's life.

"Wala naman po (There's none)," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. told reporters in Batangas, when asked if there is a serious threat on Duterte's life.

"Ang Presidente naman ay hindi nababahala sa mga threat sa buhay niya. Ang sabi nga niya, kung panahon na, panahon na. Pero ngayon po wala naman pong ganyang threat," he added.

(The President is not worried about the threats on his life. He said: If it is my time, it is my time. But now, there is no such threat.)

Duterte, in his recent public speeches, revived his allegation that the CIA has been monitoring his actions and is planning to kill him.

During the League of Municipalities of the Philippines's Visayas Island Cluster conference in Cebu City, the President repeated his claim that the CIA wants him dead.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde said in a television interview on Wednesday, August 22, that the police have no "specific" information on the CIA's alleged death threat on Duterte.

Albayalde, however, guaranteed that the PNP would take "very seriously" any possible threat to life of the President.