MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte has fired back after being summoned by the Quezon City Prosecutors Office over ACT Representative France Castro’s criminal complaint against him, saying he would rather go to jail.
Duterte was asked if he would submit to the subpoena summoning him for an investigation and requiring him to appear on December 4 and 11 to submit his counter-affidavit on Castro’s complaint.
“Magpakulong na lang ako. Kasi wala naman akong… Ino-opress ako ni France,” he responded over the Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa program of the Sonshine Media Network International aired on Wednesday.
(I would just go to jail. Because I don’t… France Castro is oppressing me.)
In the same program, the former President also went on to red-tag the lawmaker again, as well as her party, saying that they were rebels trying to ruin the country.
READ: Rep. Castro files complaint vs ex-president Duterte over death threat
“Alam mo, itong si France, [ang] partylist niyan, ACT (You know, France’s party list is ACT). They are the left, who are the members of the Communist Party of the Philippines,” he responded when the subpoena was brought up.
“Then they joined the mainstream. Sumingit sila sa mainstream; mga rebelde ‘yan e. Gusto nila sirain ang Pilipinas,” he added.
(They cut into the mainstream; they are rebels. They want to ruin the Philippines.)
READ: QC Prosecutors Office summons ex-president Duterte over Castro complaint
Duterte is facing a complaint for Grave Threats under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code and Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
In the Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa program aired last Oct. 10, Duterte said he advised his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, to be frank and say that her supposed confidential funds will be used to stop communist insurgency in the Congress.
“Pero ang una mong target sa intelligence fund mo, kayo [communists]. ‘Ikaw, France. Kayong mga komunista ang gusto kong patayin.’ Sabihin mo na sa kanya,” he said.
(But your first target in your intelligence fund is the [communists]. “You, France. You communists are the ones I want to kill.” Tell her now.)