President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte answer questions as they hold a press briefing as they lead the Brigada Eskwela launch at the V. Mapa Highschool in Manila on August 14, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed Friday he asked lawmakers to refrain from filing an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Marcos confirmed that he sent lawmakers a text message to discourage the impeachment complaint, following Duterte's alleged threat against him.

“It was actually a private communication but na-leak na, yes, because that’s really my opinion. This is not important. This does not make a difference to even one single Filipino life. So why waste time on it,” Marcos told reporters.

“What will happen if somebody files an impeachment? It will tie down the House, it will tie down the Senate. It will just take up all our time and for what? For nothing, for nothing. None of this will help improve a single Filipino life.”

"As far I'm concerned, it's a storm in a teacup," the President added. 

Pressed for his reaction on Duterte’s statement that they had reached a “point of no return”, Marcos said, “Never say never.”

Last weekend, Duterte said she had instructed that Marcos, Speaker Martin Romualdez, and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos be killed should an alleged plot to kill her succeed.

She was supposed to appear at the National Bureau of Investigation on Friday to explain her statement. But she asked the NBI to postpone the hearing after reportedly learning late that a House hearing on her office's fund use on the same day was canceled.

VP Sara Duterte asks NBI to reschedule hearing on threat vs Marcos

Duterte said her statement was taken out of context. She said the "revenge" plot had a specific condition before it could be put into motion: that she had to die first.

'I have to die first': Sara Duterte explains condition of 'revenge' plot vs Marcoses

She added that her remark "does not constitute to an active threat."

Former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino argued that holding government officials accountable, whether by impeachment or filing the appropriate cases, “ will never be a waste of time and resources.’

“While we do not expect the President to intervene in the impeachment of VP Duterte, it is improper for him to dismiss efforts to hold her accountable through this process. In fact, not doing so is a betrayal of the public interest and the people's trust,” Casino said in a  statement.

“By saying that impeachment is only a waste of time, President Bongbong Marcos only deepens the culture of impunity, where public funds are questioned but the culprits are not held accountable. Should the impeachment complaint see the light of day, Marcos Jr. should let Congress decide its fate as a co-equal branch of the government,” he added.