DOJ vows fair, thorough probe on Sara Duterte threat vs. Marcos

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Wednesday that it will be fair while conducting a thorough investigation into the controversial remarks of Vice President Sara Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., noting that such threats are uncalled for.

“Ang maasahan ng taong bayan sa Department of Justice ay isang patas ngunit masinsin na imbestigasyon para maprotektahan natin ang enforcement ng rule of law,” said Justice Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres in a press briefing.

(The public can expect the DOJ to conduct a fair but thorough investigation to protect the enforcement of rule of law.)

“Ito po ang isang pagkakataon na mapapatunayan natin na no one is above the law, mataas ka man, may impluwensiya ka man o wala. Ang batas ay dapat pumrotekta sa’yo.”

(This is just one of the instances where we can prove that no one is above the law, whether you are a high official, an influential person or not. The law should protect you.)

The National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday served a subpoena to Duterte after she earlier said that she ordered someone to kill Marcos if an alleged plot against her succeeds.

Duterte is being summoned to appear before NBI headquarters on Friday, November 29, 2024 to explain her statement against the President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The subpoena also noted the Vice President’s “possible violation” of the RA 11479 or the “Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.”

When asked as to why Duterte could have committed a possible act of terror, the DOJ official explained that the Section 4 of the said law provides that among the punishable acts include engaging in acts intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to any person or endangers a person’s life.

“Ayan ay nakasaad,  klaro sa ating batas na kapag kayo ay gumawa ng mga hakbang para saktan at bigyan ng banta ang buhay ng ibang tao, kasama po ‘yan sa terrorism,” said Andres.

(That’s what is clearly stated in our law, that if you make a move to hurt or just threaten another person, that can be considered terrorism.)

“Tandaan niyo po ang banta sa Pangulo ay isang national security matter (You should remember that any threat to the President is a national security matter). Can you imagine a situation where the Vice President is accused of plotting against the life of the President and then the President actually dies? Will the people accept the Vice President to succeed the President when he is even under a cloud of doubt on how she would accede to power?”

“So napaka seryoso po niyan at nakakatakot po ang scenario na ‘yan na mangyari,” he added.

(So this is a very serious and scary scenario that could happen.)

Duterte later clarified that her “assassination” statement was not a threat, saying she only highlighted the alleged threat to her security. She also said that her remark was "taken out of logical context."

In response, Marcos on Monday vowed to block "criminal attempts" against him.—RF, GMA Integrated News