Legal expert says VP Sara could face disbarment, libel case over tirades

Vice President Sara Duterte could possibly face disbarment and libel charges following her tirades against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, a legal expert said over the weekend.

According to former Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) president and constitutional law expert Domingo Cayosa, her latest remarks can cause legal troubles for Duterte.

“Only the President is immune from suit. All others can be charged. Dahil abogado ang ating Vice President, she can also be charged for unethical conduct, but the penalty there is only, pinakamataas noon disbarment from the legal profession,” he said in an interview on GMA Super Radyo DZBB aired on “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

“Puwede ring libel kasi hindi lang naman ‘yung pagmumura, kundi inakusahan talaga niya ng malalalim at malalaking krimen o mga anomalya ‘yung First Lady,” he added.

(Only the President is immune from suit. All others can be charged. Because the Vice President is a lawyer, she can also be charged for unethical conduct, but the highest penalty there is only disbarment from the legal profession.

It can also be libel because she also accused the First Lady of serious crimes or anomalies.)

Cayosa was referring to remarks made by Duterte in a virtual press conference, where she said that she spoke with someone to assassinate the President, the First Lady, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed.

“‘Wag kang mag-alala sa security ko kasi may kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘pag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez [Do not worry about by my security because I already spoke with someone. I told that person that if I were to be slain, kill BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez],” she said.

Duterte later said her remarks were not a threat, and that she only highlighted an alleged threat to her security. She also compared this to her earlier declaration that should attacks against her continue, she would excavate the remains of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and throw them into the West Philippine Sea.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said such threats have been referred to the Presidential Security Command (PSC) for immediate proper action.

For its part, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it does not take threats lightly.

“Unang ginawa ng NBI ay i-check kung hindi iyon deepfake, kung hindi iyon AI-generated [What the NBI first did was to check if it was a deepfake, if it was AI generated]. So we found out the same is authentic,” NBI director Jaime Santiago said.

“Ang ano natin, rule natin pagka may threat sa life ng Presidente, ng matataas na opisyal even kay VP Sara, ay hindi namin ‘yan tine-take lightly [Our rule is that there is a threat on the life of the President, of high-ranking officials, even with VP Sara, we do not take those lightly],” he added. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News