DOJ: VP Sara under investigation for possible violations of anti-terror law

The Department of Justice is investigating Vice President Sara Duterte for possible violations of Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Law over the remarks she made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Undersecretary Jesse Andres said on Wednesday.

Asked why Duterte was subpoenaed for possible violations of the anti-terrorism measure after her online news conference over the weekend, Andres said the National Bureau of Investigation wanted to give the Vice President the chance to explain her remarks.

Duterte in a video that has since gone viral said that she had told someone that he should kill the President, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were slain.

She has since said that her remarks had been "taken out of its logical context."

"Kami po ay nagpadala ng subpoena kay VP Sara para mabigyan ng pagkakataon na magbigay linaw sa kanyang mga pahayag sa kanya pong viral video kung saan galit na galit po siya, nagsasalita at nagbigay po ng banta," Andres said.

"Ngunit ang banta pong ito ay hindi lang sa pag iisip. Dahil ang banta na 'yan ay sinimulan na niyang gawin," he added.

(We sent a subpoena to VP Sara to give a chance to shed light on her remarks in the viral video in which she was fuming and talking, and issued a threat. The threat was not just in the mind because she already started to act on it.)

GMA News Online has sought comment from Duterte and would publish it as soon as it becomes available.

Andres pointed to Section 4 of the anti-terror law. 

"Section 4 [describes] the acts of terrorism and one of the acts defined there as punishable in Section 4 of the Terrorism Law is when one engages in acts intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to any person. Or endangers a persons life," Andres said.

"Nakasaad at 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,” Andres said.

(It is clear in the law that if you take a step to hurt and threaten the life of another person, that is considered terrorism.)

He said this bore more weight if the threats were directed at the President.

“Lalo na po kung ang purpose nyan ay to intimidate and create an atmosphere or sow fear. Tandaan n'yo po na ang banta sa Pangulo ay isang national security matter,” Andres said.

(This is more so if the purpose is to intimidate and create an atmosphere or sow fear. Remember the threat against the President is a national security matter.)

The Vice President is scheduled to appear before the NBI on Friday to shed light on her pronouncements online.

Both the DOJ and the National Bureau of Investigation assured Duterte that due process will be followed.

“We will not file any harassment case,” Andres said.

“We will do a complete case build up and only when there is sufficient evidence will we file the necessary criminal case against anybody who violates the law, no matter what position you may have,” he added.

NBI Director retired Judge Jaime Santiago said the investigation will be handled by a panel of lawyers.

Part of the investigation will also include delving on threats against the Vice President.

“Makaasa po si VP Sara at ang taumbayan na magiging parehas po ang NBI. Wala po kaming kikilingan,” Santiago told reporters in an ambush interview at the DOJ.

(VP Sara and the public can rest assured that the NBI will be fair. We will be impartial.)

Meanwhile, the DOJ said it was closely monitoring the hearings in the House of Representatives on the use of confidential  funds of the Office of the Vice President.

Andres said that they were just awaiting the formal referral of proceedings from the House.

“Not only grave threats, not only sedition but corruption can also be a matter that should be lodged in courts for determination whether there was actual misuse of funds as a public official and that is among the things that we will investigate and work on,” Andres said. —NB, GMA Integrated News