Photo: NBI

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte is a no-show once again at her rescheduled appearance at the National Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday (December 11) because she expects no impartiality from any investigation done by the Marcos government, her lawyer said. 

Duterte did not submit a counter affidavit explaining the context of her threat against Marcos but instead, sent a letter addressed to Director Jaime Santiago, through lawyer Paul Lim, extending her appreciation for NBI’s courtesies to her. But given the tension she has with the administration, Duterte stands firm not to submit herself to any scrutiny of the government.

“With respect, we must state the obvious that the Honorable Secretary of Justice is this office’s administrative superior, head of agency and the President’s alter ego, while the Honorable Executive Secretary is the President’s chief alter-ego,” the letter said. 

“Given these facts, you will kindly understand our client’s prudence in her cooperation with your office and her desistance from appearing and giving any statement on 11 December 2024,” the letter said. 

Inday denies threat 

In her letter, Duterte denied having ever threatened President Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. 

“Our client vehemently denies having made any threat constituting Grave Threats under Art 282 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Sec. 6 R.A No. 10175, terrorism or any other punishable act under R.A No. 11479, or any other crime.” 

“Since your office acknowledges that it has access to publicly available material on the internet, we are confident that the content and context of the entire press conferences subject matter of your investigation will bear this out,” the letter said. 

The Vice President has always maintained that she never threatened the President despite her pronouncement to have contracted an assassin to murder the three in case she gets killed first. 

In most of her interviews, Duterte has been mouthing threats to her own life prompting her to seal her kill plot against the President. 

Her camp specified in the letter that they hope to be accorded the same courtesy the agency is giving to the President. 

This was assured time and again by Santiago.  He said the NBI is mandated to investigate any threat to the President, Vice President down to the Chief Justice but Duterte never supplied details. 

“Ibinabalik niya lang sa’kin ‘yun but she did not specify kung sino ang nag-the-threat sa kanya. Wala siyang isinama na proof kung ano ‘yung threat na ‘yun,” Santiago said.

“‘Yung hindi niya pag appear, hindi siya nakipag cooperate para malaman namin kung sino nag-the-threat sa kanya,” he said.

Santiago said the NBI will no longer extend invitation to the Vice President but she is still welcome to appear should she decide to finally cooperate.