VP Sara to attend DOJ probe on BBM kill remark

Vice President Sara Duterte. Photo: Office of the Vice President

MANILA, Philippines – After snubbing the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) subpoenas last year, Vice President Sara Duterte this time said she will appear on the preliminary investigation to be conducted by the Department of Justice over her controversial kill remark on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Duterte said she had already received summons from the Prosecutor General and that she and her legal team have bee finalizing her response.

“Yes [I will attend], nagkausap na kami ng aking abogado with regard to sa counter affidavit matapos matanggap namin. Mag-appear ako dahil kailangan ko mag-oath,” she said in an ambush interview in Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday.

Duterte had skipped all NBI invitations last year asking her to explain her side to an agency attached to the administration. In past interviews, the vice president said an NBI probe “will not be fair” and “expects no impartiality” from the institution since it is under the Marcos government.

“With regard to patas, I don’t think magiging patas itong imbestigasyon na ito,” Duterte said, citing Marcos Jr.’s marching order then of not taking such criminal acts lightly.

Despite her pronouncement, NBI Director Jaime Santiago had repeatedly promised an impartial and fair investigation for the second in command but Duterte fought to keep her distance from a Marcos government investigation.

Santiago also reminded Duterte that no one is above the law and that the NBI will investigate anyone because of case merits and not politics.

In February, the NBI recommended filing of inciting to sedition and grave threats cases against the vice president. Santiago, a former Manila Regional Trial Court judge, said he and five other NBI lawyers carefully studied the case and arrived at the decision of pursuing cases against Duterte before the DOJ.

In November, Duterte said she has contracted an unidentified gunman to murder the president, his wife and the speaker should she be killed.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin referred to Duterte’s remark as an “active threat” that needs “immediate proper action.”

Marcos Jr. himself said such remarks are alarming and promised to not such threats go unpunished.

However after her tirade, Duterte said she never issued a threat since she clearly stated that it will only happen once she gets killed first.

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