Threatening Duterte to act ‘then threaten him with impeachment’ maybe crime – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — The mere filing of an impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte is not a crime, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Wednesday.

But, he also said, “threatening the President to do some sort of action” and then “threaten him with an impeachment complaint” may be considered “criminal in nature.”

“Impeaching is not a crime, yes, impeaching. Filing an impeachment complaint is not a crime. It’s not a crime,” Nograles told reporters in Malacañang amid reports that Duterte might be impeached for failing to protect the Philippines’ territory in the West Philippine Sea.

“Filing an impeachment complaint is not criminal. But threatening somebody is,” he added.

Various groups and maritime experts have urged Duterte to enforce Article XII Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution, which states that “the State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens.”

“If you are threatening the President to do some sort of action and then you threaten him with an impeachment complaint, the mere fact that you are threatening the highest official of the land, the mere fact that its a threat, if it goes to the realm of threatening then it may be criminal in nature,” he said. 

“I am just explaining that when you say impeachment, filing an impeachment complaint is not a crime per se but when it goes into the realm of threatening someone or anyone, threats when circumstances are right, correct, if the elements of the crime are there, then it goes in the realm of being criminal in nature,” he added.

But the Palace official believed an impeachment case against Duterte “won’t fly.”

“ I don’t think they have a case, they have a strong case against the President,” he said.

“It won’t fly. It won’t simply fly,” he added. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)