Former President Rodrigo Duterte boards plane going to an undisclosed location, a few hours after a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court was served by INTERPOL Manila on March 11, 2025. Contributed PhotoMANILA — Malacañang on Monday denied Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent statement saying that former President Rodrigo Duterte could meet the same fate as assassinated former Senator Ninoy Aquino, should he return to the Philippines. 

The Vice President, in an interview in the Netherlands, said that she had warned her father would end up like Aquino if he insists on coming back to the Philippines. 

Aquino was gunned down at the tarmac of the former Manila International Airport in 1983 following years of self-exile in the United States. 

His death was widely considered to have galvanized the opposition against Marcos Jr’s father, then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr, leading to the family’s eventual ouster in 1986.

In a Palace briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said that the Vice President’s claim that her father’s life would be in danger in the Philippines is not true.

“Yun na nga po ang nakakapagtaka, eh. Saan po nakukuha ang pagkukumpara na ito? Saan po nakukuha ang pagkukumpara kay dating Ninoy Aquino. Saan kukuha yung mga threats? As a matter of fact, hanggang ngayon yung sinasabing threats kay VP Sara, hindi pa rin po naipapakita sa NBI at saka sa PNP,” Castro said.

“So saan lamang po ito nakukuha? Kailangan po natin kasi ng mga materyales, ng mga ebidensya, bago po magsagawa ng ganitong mga klaseng statements. Wala pong katotohanan 'yan.” 

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Castro also questioned why the Vice President is comparing her father to the country’s democracy icon, noting that the former President never once likened himself to Aquino, but did compare himself to the infamous Adolf Hitler.

“Inihahalintulad ba ni VP Sara ang kanyang ama kaya sa yumaong Ninoy Aquino? Parang hindi po natin nadinig noon na inihalintulad ni dati pangulong Duterte ang sarili niya kay Ninoy, kung hindi kay Hitler,” she said.

The Palace official recalled Duterte’s 2016 statement comparing himself to the German Nazi dictator, where the former President said that he would be happy to slaughter 3 million drug addicts, just as Hitler massacred millions of Jews during World War II. 

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“Meron po siyang sinabi mismo, sinabi pa niya dito, and I quote, 'Hitler massacred 3 million,' actually it's supposed to be 6 million Jews. 'Now there is 3 million, what is it? 3 million drug addicts in the Philippines? There are. I'd be happy to slaughter them. At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have me,'” Castro said.

“So napakalayo pong ipakumpara ang sarili o ikumpara ang dating pangulong Duterte, kay Ninoy Aquino na hindi nagkaroon ng anumang record ng mass murder or crimes against humanity. Mas ninais po ni dating pangulong Duterte na ikumpara ang sarili nya kay Hitler.”

Meanwhile, a group formed to preserve the legacy of Aquino and the 1986 People Power revolution also decried the vice-president's statement.

"We again would like to reiterate that Digong can never be Ninoy," the August Twenty One Movement (ATOM) said.

ATOM, founded by Ninoy Aquino's brother Butz in the wake of his assassination, said former president Duterte "is hoping to come home and escape accountability to the charge of crimes against humanity," whereas Aquino wanted to "bring back democracy to our country."

"Sa palagay namin ay dito pa lang malayo na ang pagkakaiba nilang dalawa," the group said in a statement.

"Ninoy was a political prisoner who gave his life fighting for democracy at ang pagkakapatay sa kanya noong 1983 ay naging huling mitsa para magkaroon ng People Power Revolution na nagpabagsak sa diktadura ni Marcos. Ninoy's legacy is rooted in his unwavering opposition to authoritarian rule and his commitment to democratic ideals," they added.

"In contrast, Duterte was arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity linked to his bloody war on drugs. He did not sacrifice for democracy; rather, his tenure was marked by policies that raised significant human rights concerns. Isang muling malaking pagkakaiba."

"Equating Duterte's legal challenges with Ninoy's martyrdom misrepresents the essence of their respective legacies," stressed the group.

The Aquino family also refuted the statement of Vice President Duterte.

"Kung pag-aaralan natin ang kasaysayan, makikita natin na ibang iba ang ginawa kay ninoy sa pinagdadaanan ngayon ni dating Pang. Duterte," the Aquino family said.

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