Sara to be quizzed on hitman’s identity

Vice President Sara Duterte will not receive advance questions ahead of her appearance before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regarding her claim that she ordered a hit on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

However, there is one question that Duterte should be prepared to answer, according to NBI Director Jaime Santiago: “What’s the name of the assassin she supposedly contracted?”

Weeks ago, Duterte claimed she ordered someone to kill not only the President but also First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in case she herself is killed.

Later, Duterte said her remark was taken out of context, framing it as part of an expletive-laden rant in response to alleged political persecution by the Marcos administration, particularly by members of the House of Representatives under Romualdez.

“That’s the few questions we will ask her, and she already knows that — why did she say such a threat, why did she contract someone to kill the President. Those are the usual questions, but we can’t say the other questions,” Santiago explained.

Duterte did not attend her scheduled NBI appearance on 29 November, citing other engagements. After her camp requested to reschedule, Santiago set the new meeting for 11 December.

Duterte had requested a copy of the complaints filed against her, as well as the documents that prompted the NBI’s investigation. She also asked for a list of questions to be posed during the probe, prompting Santiago’s response yesterday.

Santiago added that the NBI will also investigate the alleged threats on Duterte’s life.

“If Duterte does not cooperate, we would consider that she has waived her right to express her reason or justification for making the threat against the President, First Lady and Speaker of the House,” he said.

The NBI served Duterte a subpoena following her controversial statement during a media conference at the House of Representatives.

During that conference, Office of the Vice President (OVP) chief of staff and Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez was detained after being cited in contempt.

Cabinet resignation

Duterte resigned in June this year as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) amid growing scrutiny over her performance as head of the department.

She is presently under investigation by the House of Representatives regarding her use of intelligence or confidential funds at the OVP and DepEd.

The inquiry centers on the handling and allocation of these funds, with critics questioning the transparency and appropriateness of their utilization.

Despite the political showdown between the two highest officials of the land, who ran under the Uniteam coalition in the 2022 elections, Marcos had asked lawmakers not to initiate impeachment proceedings against Duterte.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reiterated on Sunday that its handling of complaints against Vice President Duterte and her security detail “was not politically motivated.”

PNP Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil made the statement after a formal complaint was filed against Duterte and her security personnel under the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) by Dr. Van Jason Villamor of the PNP Health Service, along with other police officers.

Duterte, along with VPSPG commander Colonel Raymund Dante Lachina and several others, faces charges of direct assault, disobedience and grave coercion related to recent confrontations between the Vice President’s camp and police officers at the House of Representatives Detention Center and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.

Marbil emphasized that the police are simply fulfilling their “constitutional mandate to uphold the rule of law” and are compelled to act on the complaints, regardless of the individuals involved.

The PNP said it expects additional charges, beyond grave coercion, direct assault, and disobedience, to be filed against Duterte and company.

“We expect that we have other cases to file aside from grave coercion, direct assault, and disobedience to persons in authority,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said in a radio interview on Sunday.

Fajardo did not provide further details on the additional charges.

The PNP said Duterte and her security detail forcibly took custody of Lopez, causing a disturbance with police officers who were carrying out a House order.

Lopez had been detained at the House detention facility since Wednesday night, after the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability cited her for contempt during a legislative inquiry into the alleged misuse of confidential funds by agencies under VP Duterte.