The Philippines probe to go ahead as Duterte skips questioning
THE Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation will proceed with probing Vice President Sara Duterte’s apparent assassination threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr after she failed to appear for questioning for a second time on Wednesday (Dec 11).
The bureau will continue with its investigation based on the information they have including the video where Duterte made the threat, NBI Director Jaime Santiago told a news briefing. The agency will submit its recommendation to the Department of Justice by early January, he added.
In a letter handed by her lawyer to Santiago, Duterte “vehemently denies having made any threat,” and that the content and context of the Nov 23 online briefing during which she allegedly made the remarks “will bear this out.” Santiago said they had sought an affidavit from her instead of a signed letter.
The vice president was first subpoenaed to appear at the NBI on Nov 29, but it was moved to today upon her request. She was summoned by the bureau following her threat last month to kill Marcos, his wife Liza and his cousin, the House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez, if she gets assassinated.
Duterte, daughter of firebrand former leader Rodrigo Duterte, won the 2022 elections under a joint ticket with Marcos. But disagreements over policies have led to the collapse of the alliance and have morphed into a public feud that risks causing political instability in one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies.
The vice president is also facing two impeachment complaints at the House of Representatives. The first alleges corruption, bribery and other crimes, while the second accuses her of betraying public trust over alleged misuse of public funds.
Marcos has distanced himself from the impeachment bid, saying earlier that such efforts may only slow reforms after calling his dispute with his deputy a “storm in a teacup.” BLOOMBERG
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