Sara Duterte could not attend NBI probe —lawyer

Vice President Sara Duterte will not appear before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday to explain her remark that she ordered someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. if an assassination plot against her succeeds. 

“Hindi po siya makakarating (She will not able to come) today,” Atty. Paul Lim, Duterte’s legal counsel, said in a video by GMA Integrated News' Ian Cruz.

Lim declined to elaborate when asked on why the Vice President could not attend the day's investigation.

The NBI issued a subpoena to Duterte to allow her to explain her alleged kill order against the President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if she dies.

She is being investigated for alleged grave threats in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and possible violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. She had earlier contended that her remarks against the First Couple and Romualdez were “maliciously taken out of logical context.” 

Duterte previously said she will ask the NBI to reschedule her summon as she will prioritize her attendance at the House good government panel's inquiry into the budget use of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education when it was still under her.

The House committee, however, postponed its hearing scheduled on Friday morning to give way to the NBI probe.

In a press conference, NBI director Jaime Santiago said Lim handed them a letter from Duterte requesting for a new date for her appearance.

"The Vice President ay late na niya nalaman na cancelled ang kanyang appearance before the House committee hearing. So hindi na siya nakapunta dito and asked for a resetting," he said.

(She found out late that her appearance before the House Committee hearing was cancelled so she could no longer appear here and asked for a reset.)

In the letter, Duterte requested the NBI for a clear copy of the complaint and other documents that initiated the investigation, as well as the list of questions that the NBI intends to ask her.

Santiago said the NBI will comply with some of Duterte's requests.

"We will comply with her request dahil sa due process. Out of respect dahil siya ay pangalawang pinakamataas na official ng ating bayan, we will comply with her request,” he said.

(We will comply with her request because of due process. Out of respect because she is the second highest official in the country, we will comply with her request.)

When asked if the NBI will provide Duterte with their questions, he said they would still have to discuss this.

According to Santiago, the NBI hearing will be rescheduled to December 11 to give Duterte time to prepare.

Santiago said Duterte could choose to appear at an earlier date.

"Kung magpapasabi siya akin, no, I will not wait for December 11, I want to talk to you now, mas maganda po," he said.

(If she will reach out and tell me that she will not wait for December 11 and that she wants to talk to me now, then all the better.)

Asked what action the NBI will take should Duterte fail to appear again on December 11, Santiago said they would cross the bridge when they get there.

The NBI chief also said he felt a "little frustration" that Duterte, who he said is not immune from suit, failed to appear on Friday as he was hoping to put an end to the issue.

He also assured the public that the situation is under control. —KBK, GMA Integrated News