Palace fires back at VP camp over grave threats case

MANILA, Philippines — Is Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp issuing another threat?

Malacañang on Friday raised this question after Duterte’s counsel warned that prosecuting her could set a precedent for filing charges against other top officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 

The vice president’s legal team made the remark as it filed a manifestation to hold oral arguments about Duterte’s motion to quash her grave threats case, which was filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) following a probe into a November 2024 media briefing where Duterte said she had hired someone to kill Marcos, first lady Liza Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she was killed first. 

READ: Sara Duterte camp wants oral arguments to dismiss grave threats case

“Are they issuing yet another threat? It appears to be the same narrative. However, we must remember that no one is above the law. Anyone who violates the law or abuses their authority must face the consequences of their actions,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a Viber message to reporters.

Castro added that regardless of an official’s post, anyone who violates the law or abuses their authority “must face the consequences of their actions.” 

“In fact, any impeachable official may be impeached provided there are valid grounds, rather than cases built on fabricated evidence and paid false witnesses,” she said.

“Let us put an end to the infamous culture for which they are known,” Castro added. 

Lawyer Paul Lawrence Lim earlier said Duterte’s camp filed the motion to quash the grave threats case over a “lack of jurisdiction.” 

The vice president’s alleged offense is under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. 

This grave threats case, filed by the DOJ before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court earlier this week, is separate from Article IV of Duterte’s Articles of Impeachment, which addresses the same alleged threats.  Andre Esguerra, INQUIRER.net trainee /jpv