VP Sara Duterte wrong in saying DOJ is ‘biased’ in probing her – exec

Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres —File photo by Ryan Leagogo | INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — It is not right for Vice President Sara Duterte to say that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is partial as it probes into the alleged threat she made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Andres asserted that the agency is just doing its job to investigate and prosecute crimes, regardless of the individuals involved – even if they are high-ranking government officials.

“It’s not right to say that the Department of Justice is biased. The Department of Justice will listen to the side of our vice president and consider all possible evidence presented, including testimonies from other witnesses,” Andres said in Filipino in a “Teleradyo” interview on Thursday.

READ: Sara Duterte’s kill remark vs Marcos is ‘active threat’ – Palace

“She will be given the full opportunity to be heard before we evaluate the case and decide whether to file charges,” he added.

He also emphasized that the subpoena issued to Duterte would allow her to explain her side regarding her pronouncement that she hired someone to kill the president, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself would be killed. Andres pointed out that such issuance ensures that due process was being followed.

Duterte previously accused the DOJ of being biased in its probe into her alleged kill order against Marcos, his wife, and his cousin.

“I don’t think this investigation is fair. We can see that the president’s pronouncement is biased,” Duterte said in Filipino at a press conference on Wednesday.

“As you may have seen, during an interview, an undersecretary from the Department of Justice said, ‘A threat is a threat.’ This alone indicates their stance on the matter. Even though they claim to be conducting an investigation, it seems they had already decided to file charges from the very beginning,” she added.

Duterte’s office received the subpoena, but the vice president did not personally appear at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), an attached agency of the DOJ, on Wednesday, December 11. She instead submitted a letter denying the allegations against her.

“At the end of the day, the legal process, such as the issuance of a subpoena, will grant you the opportunity to present your explanation and present your witnesses. You may also be assisted by counsel during the investigation,” Andres said.

“All of these are provided by our National Bureau of Investigation. Unfortunately, our vice president will not be attending,” he added.

In the same radio interview, Andres likewise said that President Marcos was not interfering with the DOJ investigation, asserting the independence of the agency despite being under the executive department.

“First and foremost, the president is not dictating on us or anyone else,” Andres said.

READ: NBI admits to start from scratch on probing threat vs VP Sara Duterte

“In fact, our president has stated that he does no agreement with the impeachment because it would be a waste of time,” he added.

Andres stressed, however, that the president’s point of view would not affect the DOJ’s mandate as the country’s prosecutorial and investigating arm.

“If we find ourselves in a situation where our prosecutorial, investigative, and law enforcement agencies fail to act, then we are accountable to the public. This is because any crime is fundamentally a matter of public security,” he said.

“Every crime is not just a concern of the private offended party, every crime disturbs the peace. [Because] a criminal offense is a crime against society, that’s why we have to do something,” he added.