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.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin referred the “active threat” against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to his elite presidential guards on Saturday “for immediate proper action.”

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

The political crisis in the Philippines has escalated dramatically as Vice President Sara Duterte issued a public threat to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta assassinated if any harm comes to her.

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.

Security agencies in the Philippines have stepped up safety protocols after the country's vice president said she would have president assassinated if she herself were killed.

Sara Duterte accused Bongbong Marcos of incompetence and said she has contracted an assassin to kill him if she herself is killed.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated if she herself was killed, amid a growing rift between the two most powerful political families in the country.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos' security detail has been put on alert over what his office is calling an "active threat" against his life by Vice President Sara Duterte, the palace