The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte denied that there is sufficient basis for the allegations raised during a House Committee on Justice hearing involving claims of inciting to sedition and grave threats.
In a statement, Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim, counsel for the vice president in a complaint filed with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), said the proceedings at the House hearing showed what he described as a lack of strong evidence against his client.
Lim argued that the evidence presented during the hearing was “selected, pieced together, and taken out of context,” adding that opinions were allegedly used in place of verified facts.
He also said there was no clear link between the vice president and the alleged statements directed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. According to Lim, connecting Duterte to the statements would require what he described as a “big leap in logic.”
The lawyer further claimed that the hearing appeared to be a “fishing expedition” aimed at giving substance to what he called defective impeachment complaints.
Despite the allegations, the vice president’s camp said it remains prepared to address the issues in the proper forum, where it expects evidence and the rule of law to prevail.
The statements were issued following discussions at the House Committee on Justice related to allegations involving inciting to sedition and grave threats. The complaint involving the vice president was filed with the National Bureau of Investigation, where legal proceedings are expected to determine the merits of the case.
No additional response from House officials was included in the statement released by the vice president’s legal counsel.
