National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime Santiago confirmed they are set to issue subpoena to Vice President Sara Duterte to explain her side on the alleged assassination plot against the president, the first lady and the house speaker.
The vice president is given five days from November 25 to appear before the NBI investigators to explain her side on the alleged order to kill President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr, First Lady Liza Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Santiago said they are giving the vice president the due process and chance to explain her side.
” Out of courtesy, due process hindi po namin agad inaresto si vice president dahil siya ay vice president, napakataas na opisyal. Santiago said in a press conference.
On the other hand, the Department of Justice (DOJ) described Duterte as a self- confessed mastermind in the assassination plot against the Marcosses and Speaker Romualdez.
Undersecretary Jesse Andres said they simply ignored Duterte’s prior ‘threat to behead’ the president but they cannot do the same with her latest pronouncement.
” …tinanggap po namin na salita yon in a metaphorical way o isang simbolismo lang ng kanyang galit ngunit sa kanyang bagong pananalita hindi po maaring isantabi lang yan at kailangan po ng ating gobyerno na kumilos dahil ang atin pong halal na pangulo ay binigyan ng banta”. Andres said.
National Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Padullon also said the threat to the life of the president is not something to be taken lightly.
‘ Hindi pwedeng gagawin natin ito ng marahas kailangan sumunod tayo sa naaayon sa batas“. Padullon explained.
Duterte earlier denied that she issued death threats against the president and other personalities.
The vice president claimed she was ‘maliciously taken out of logical context’.
She added that her remarks were said in the same context as her statement to “exhume and throw the remains of the late Former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr to the West Philippine Sea.”
Duterte said she was just talking about the threats on her life but doing it, is not actionable.
(NBI photo)
Abner is an award-winning journalist. He received the prestigious 2015 Titus Brandsma Award for Community Communication in the Philippines and participated in the 2016 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States of America, sponsored by the US Embassy in the Philippines. Founder of WATCH NORTH COTABATO, a media-citizens’ transparency group. He worked as a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and CNN Philippines. His experience in broadcasting includes anchoring for Brigada News FM in Kidapawan and General Santos City and Brigada News TV. He anchors Tira Brigada via 105.1 Brigada News FM Manila, Mondays-Saturdays.