Palace: Let NBI handle teacher nabbed over P50-M bounty offer to kill Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday said it would let law enforcement authorities handle the case of a public high school teacher who was arrested for offering reward money to anyone who would kill President Rodrigo Duterte.

The teacher, who reportedly hails from Sta. Cruz, Zambales, was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for posting on Twitter that he will give a P50-million reward to anyone who can kill the President.

According to Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque, the Palace will let due process take its course on the matter.

“Well, iyan po ay nasa kamay na ng ating (that is already in the hands of our) law enforcement agencies. Hayaan po natin na gawin nila ang trabaho nila (Let’s allow them to do their job),” Roque said in a televised press briefing.

“Kung merong (If there is) prima facie case for any case, kasuhan siya at mabibigyan naman po siya ng pagkakataon na patunayang hindi siya nagkasala sa ating hukuman sa takdang panahon (charge him and he will anyway be given the chance to prove his innocence in our courts at the right time),” he added.

The suspect identified as Ronnel Mas, in a Facebook video supposedly taken by an arresting NBI agent, admitted to posting the incriminating item on social media.

He also apologized to the President and said that he did not expect that he would be arrested over the Twitter post.

“Naghahanap lang po ako ng atensyon (I am just seeking attention),” he said.