No Palace involvement in Duterte sedition complaint -CIDG

Malacañang had no role in the filing of inciting to sedition and unlawful utterance complaints against former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) clarified on Tuesday.

“Wala naman, eh. I don’t think that Malacañang should get involved in this dahil ito naman ay pure law enforcement. Ang pulis ay law enforcers. So may nakikita tayong violation of law,” CIDG chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III said in a press conference.

(There was none. I don’t think Malacañang should be involved in this because this is purely law enforcement. The police are law enforcers, and we see a violation of the law.)

On Monday, Torre filed a complaint before the Department of Justice (DOJ) over Duterte’s remarks suggesting the killing of incumbent senators.

During the PDP-Laban proclamation rally, Duterte stated that all PDP-Laban candidates could secure Senate seats if 15 sitting senators were killed.

"Patayin natin ‘yung mga senador ngayon para mabakante. Kung makapatay tayo ng mga 15 na senador, pasok na tayong lahat... Talking of opportunities, the only way to do it is pasabugin na lang natin," Duterte had said.

(Let’s kill the senators now to vacate the seats. If we can eliminate 15 senators, we can all get in... Talking of opportunities, the only way to do it is to blow them up.)

Torre noted that no senators had approached the CIDG regarding the matter but said they were welcome to file separate complaints if they wished.

“Wala naman. At hindi rin naman namin ine-expect dahil hindi naman sila kailangan para ma-build up ang kaso. Kung gusto nilang mag-file on their own on the effect of that joke sa kanila, they can do so and we'll welcome and entertain them in CIDG,” Torre said.

(No one has contacted us, and we don’t expect them to because their involvement isn’t necessary to build the case. However, if they want to file their own complaints based on how the remark affected them, they are welcome to do so.)

Torre also informed PNP Chief Police General Rommel Marbil about the complaint, who reportedly supported the move.

“I do believe this is within the mandate of the CIDG. Thus, I made the decision. But I informed the Chief PNP. I informed the higher-ups of this action. I made an official report,” Torre said.

“Okay naman, wala pa namang caution sa akin na sinabing tumigil ako. 'Good job,' pa nga ang sinabi niya,” he added.

(The discussion went well. I wasn’t told to stop—on the contrary, he even said, "Good job.")

Meanwhile, former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo dismissed the filing as “foolish,” arguing that Duterte was merely joking.

"Ano ba itong bansa natin? Hindi ka na pwedeng magbiro? Magbibiro ka lang, fa-file-an ka na ng kaso? Wala ba tayong demokrasya?" he asked.

(What is happening to this country? Are you no longer allowed to joke? Will a complaint be filed against you just for kidding around? Do we not have democracy?) — DVM, GMA Integrated News