EARLY MORNING MELTDOWN. In this videograb, Vice President Sara Duterte again lets it all out against the first couple and their allies in the House of Representatives at an online press conference she called on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday said it would issue a subpoena to Vice President Sara Duterte after she threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assassinated.
According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, the subpoena will be issued by Tuesday as the agency has already begun investigating the assassination plot.
“We will ask her to appear before our office within five days. She will be given a chance to explain her side,” he added.
Prosecutor-General Richard Anthony Fadullon said should Duterte opt to not appear before the NBI even with the subpoena, the agency would simply proceed with the investigation.
“Whatever evidence is in the possession of or will be in the possession of the NBI based on its investigation outside of any statement or cooperation coming from [the Vice President], [that] is something we can work on already,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said it is also taking action to have Duterte face the legal consequences of her threats against the President.
“In the light of recent events, very alarming events, the government is taking action to protect our duly elected President,” said DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Andres.
“The premeditated plot to assassinate the President as declared by the self-confessed mastermind will now face legal consequences,” he added.
Andres also said law enforcement agents were instructed to investigate the identity of the person whom Duterte tasked to kill Marcos.
“We will use all the resources of the government, all law enforcement agents, to find out the identity of the assassin and the legal consequences arising in this criminal plot will be dealt with the full force of the law,” he added.
Andres said grave threat and sedition are the charges they are looking at aside from the disbarment of the Vice President as a lawyer.
“We now have the opportunity to show that no one is above the law, and that accountability can be exacted from anybody so that people will now really respect the law … so that is what is at stake here,” he said.
“I hope people understand that there is nothing personal about this, but things happen because we have to strengthen our institutions, and we will do what is necessary under the constitution and in accordance with the constitution,” he added.
Last Saturday, Duterte said during a press conference that she had instructed someone to assassinate Marcos, his wife Liza, and cousin House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘Kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM (Marcos), si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke. Nagbilin na ako,” Duterte said.
(I already talked to a person. I told the person, ‘If they kill me, kill BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke. I’ve left instructions.)
Malacañang has tagged Duterte’s pronouncement as an “active threat.”
However, Duterte on Monday claimed that her statemenr was only “maliciously taken out of logical context.”