The government is now tracking down the contract killer supposedly hired by Vice President Sara Duterte to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Lisa Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez, a Justice official said on Monday.

“We are tapping our law enforcement agents to investigate the whereabouts and the identity of this person or persons who may be plotting against the President,” Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said in a press briefing in Malacanang.

Andres said the government will use all its resources and law enforcement agents to identify the assassins.

“In the light of recent events, very alarming events, the government is taking action to protect our duly elected President. The premeditated plot to assassinate the President as declared by the self-confessed mastermind will now face legal consequences,” Andres said in referring to the Vice President as the mastermind of the assassination plot.

Andres said they are taking Vice President Duterte’s threat seriously, considering she is one of the highest officials of the land.

“Please understand that if ever this threat of assassination actually happens or is accomplished, she (Duterte) is the ultimate beneficiary,” Andres said.

“And we have to do everything to protect the President, understandably. If such even happens, who will benefit? She is the beneficiary of the death of the President,” he added.

Andres noted the Vice President earlier made a serious remark that she wanted to cut off the President’s head. And now, Duterte issued a more specific allegation about engaging an assassin to kill people including the President.

“That is a very serious action taken by the VP and we have to go through the process and seek accountability for this,” the justice official added. Presidential News Desk