Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday described a public threat by the vice president to have him killed by an assassin as a criminal plot and vowed to fight it, in a looming showdown between the country’s two top leaders.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said on Saturday she would have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated if she herself were killed, prompting Marcos’ office to vow “immediate proper action.”

Sara Duterte told reporters she had told an assassin to kill Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and the speaker of the Philippine House if she were to be killed.

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 President Ferdinand Marcos Jr attends the closing ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits and Handing Over of the ASEAN Chairmanship to Malaysia, at the National Convention Centre,

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on Monday vowed to fight back against what he called reckless and troubling threats against him, speaking out after his estranged vice president said he would be assassinated if she herself were killed.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, claiming a threat against her life, says she has contracted an assassin to kill the president, his wife and the House speaker if she is killed.

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.

The Philippines' security council will verify an alleged assassination threat by Vice President Sara Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a top official said on Sunday, describing it as a "matter of national security".