THE Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday said there is no plot to tag Vice President Sara Duterte as a terrorist even as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is investigating if she violated the Anti-Terror Act (ATA) when she threatened during the weekend to have President Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez killed if something bad happens to her.
DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Andres made the statement in a televised public briefing after Duterte on Wednesday accused the government of allegedly weaponizing the ATA against her.
The anti-terror law was enacted during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the father of the Vice President.
Andres said the ATA requires additional factors before one is declared as a terrorist.
“There is a different process in designating one as a terrorist. It needs a different set of evidence. However, one does not need to be branded a terrorist for them to be held liable for the Anti-Terror law,” he said.
The Vice President had questioned why the NBI’s subpoena mentioned grave assault and possible violations of the ATA against her, which she “do not hold water, on face value.”
She said the government was using the law against her so it could go after her properties and assets, citing the case of expelled Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr. who is wanted for the 2023 murder of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo.
“Ano ba ‘yung gusto nilang gawin kaya sila nag-cha-charge ng Anti-Terror Law? Gusto nila mag-cancel ng passport, gusto nila mag-red notice sa international (police) so hindi ka makakagalaw overseas. Gusto nila mag-AMLA, Anti-Money Laundering Act (What do they want when they charge under the Anti-Terror Law? They want the passport cancelled [and] they want a red notice so you can’t move overseas. They want to use the Anti-Money Laundering Act),” she said.
In the same briefing, Andres said the DOJ is determined in probing the possible legal liabilities of the Vice President over her death threat to the First Couple and Romualdez, stressing that “no one is above the law”.
Andres said they fully intend to investigate Duterte to prove that the law is being applied regardless of the individual involved.
“This is a test case for us. There must be a measure of accountability not only for poor people but also for the influential and the powerful,” said Andres.
“This is a situation, where we have to show that the rule of law applies to everyone, and that no one is above the law,” he added.
Andres also said that they are taking this threat with the utmost urgency and seriousness considering the personalities involved.
“We are looking into every aspect because we need to protect the President, and it is the law that will protect the President,” he said.
“A threat against the President is a threat against all Filipinos. That is how important the role of the Department of Justice is now. We want to protect the safety of all,” he added.
On looking at the Vice President’s possible violation of the anti-terrorism law, Andres said: “It is possible by simply conspiring, which consists of two people coming to an agreement to execute any of these acts, including causing death and bodily harm to another person.”
Over the weekend, the Vice President said she has contracted an individual to kill the Marcos couple and Romualdez in the event that they succeed in assassinating her.
She later claimed that her statement was “taken out of its logical context” saying she was merely asking an individual to take revenge against three individuals in case she is killed.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had issued a subpoena to Duterte for her to appear in its headquarters today.
On Wednesday, Duterte said she will ask the NBI to reschedule her appearance as she intends to attend the ongoing hearing at the House of Representatives regarding the alleged misuse of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was still the education secretary.
The NBI, in a radio interview, said it sees no problem in rescheduling the inquiry on Duterte.
“There is no problem there. We can reschedule it,” said NBI Director Jaime Santiago.
Andres said they can reset the NBI hearing to either Monday or Tuesday.
HOUSE PROBE
The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability yesterday decided to cancel its hearing today to allow the Vice President to respond to the subpoena issued by the NBI.
Manila Rep. Joel Chua, panel chair, said the committee decided to postpone the hearing so Duterte cannot to use the hearing as an excuse not to show up at the NBI.
“Marami pong mga miyembro ang tumawag sa akin patungkol po sa issue na ito kaya po kami kanina ay nagdesisyon na i-postpone ‘yung committee hearing (for today) to pave way sa imbestigasyon ng NBI na hindi naman po kami nagagamit bilang excuse para masagot ang complaint (Many committee members called me about this issue so we decided to postpone the committee hearing to pave the way for the NBI’s investigation so that we won’t be used as an excuse not to answer the complaint),” Chua told a press conference.
“Naniniwala po kami na ito pong issue sa NBI ay napakahalaga as it concerns national security (We believe that this issue in the NBI is very important as it concerns national security),” Chua said. “Kami po ay magbibigay ng (daan) para hindi kami magamit dahilan para hindi siya makarating (ngayon) (We are giving way so we won’t be used as an alibi for not showing up [today]).”
Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun backed Chua’s statements, saying lawmakers just want to make sure that the hearing will not be used as an alibi by the Vice President.
“Napakalaking usapin ito lalung-lalo patungkol sa national security ng ating bansa. Dahil nakita natin na pinagbantaan niya ang buhay ng ating Presidente, buhay ng ating Speaker, buhay ng ating First Lady, at lalung-lalo na may mga kaso pa siya na kailangan niyang harapin (This is a huge issue concerning national security. We’ve seen that the lives of the President, the Speaker and our First Lady were threatened and especially since there are cases that the Vice President has to face),” he said.
The panel has been looking into how Duterte used a total of P612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the OVP and the DepEd during her term as secretary.
Chua said the committee will also have to decide what to do with Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez, who remains confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) after her contempt citation and detention order was extended by the panel for another five days last Monday.
Chua said the panel will ask the House Sergeant-at-Arms to check on Lopez and report to them before it comes up with any decision.
The detention order against Lopez is set to lapse on Saturday.
Khonghun also dismissed the Duterte’s claim that the administration is threatening to impeachment her to cover up the administration’s ineptness and reminded the public that it was the Vice President and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte “who started this mess.”
“Nagsimula lahat ng gulong ito nang mangarap ang Bise Presidente na maging presidente ng maaga, nang mangarap ang dating pangulo na maging presidente ang anak niya ng maaga (This mess started when the Vice President started to aspire to become president, when the former president aspired for his daughter to become president this early),” he said.
Khonghun said the Vice President’s remarks aim to divert public attention from the panel’s investigation into her mishandling of confidential funds. “Well, that’s another diversionary tactic ng ating Bise Presidente para iiwas na naman ang nangyari sa pondo ng OVP at sa confidential fund ng DepEd (of our Vice President to avoid answering what happened to the funds of the OVP and the confidential fund of DepEd),” he said.
Chua maintained that impeachment is not being discussed as of now, especially since the House is too busy with the investigations and pending legislative work. He said the primary aim of the investigation is to craft legislative measures to address the systemic issues uncovered during the hearings.
For his part, La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said the Vice President has to answer the NBI “because this is not a joke.
“These are grave threats,” he said. “National security is at stake. Nakakabahala po saka nakakatakot. Ako nga po mismo natakot nung narinig ko ang mga threat na ganoon (It’s concerning and scary. I, myself, was scared when I heard such threats),” he said.
COUNTER-CHARGES
The PNP said it is ready to face criminal charges which the Vice President said she is planning to file in connection with the hospital transfer of Lopez last Saturday.
“That is her right. The PNP is going to answer it,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said in Filipino during the “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” public briefing.
Fajardo said the PNP will wait for the “official copy” of the complaint that Duterte plans to file against policemen.
Fajardo reiterated that the policemen merely implemented the instructions of the House of Representatives “and we did not violate any law with respect to our actions.”
At Camp Crame, Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said: “That is always the right of anybody to file a case against (anyone), especially against the police if they feel they are aggrieved.”
“We welcome that, and we will wait for the case to be filed,” he said, adding the PNP will answer these charges before any forum.
The PNP on Wednesday filed charges of direct assault, disobedience to authority and grave coercion against Duterte, Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) commander Col. Raymund Lachica and John Does and Jane Does before the Quezon City Prosecutors Office.
On Saturday, Lopez was rushed to the VMMC in Quezon City after she fell ill after the House ordered her transferred to the Women’s Correctional Institution from the chamber’s detention facility.
Lopez had been initially detained at the House after lawmakers cited her in contempt for supposedly obstructing its investigation on the supposed fund misuse.
From the VMMC, Duterte reportedly interfered to have Lopez transferred to St. Luke’s Medical Center, also in Quezon City.
Policemen wanted to keep Lopez at the VMMC on orders of the House.
Lopez was subsequently moved to St. Luke’s after a confrontation between lawmen and Duterte, OVP staff and Lachica.
During the confrontation, Lachica reportedly pushed Villamor to pave the way for the transfer of Lopez to St. Luke’s.
Later on Saturday, Lopez was brought back to the VMMC.
Duterte said the complaint filed by the PNP “do not hold water,” adding this is merely part of the “oppression and harassment” against her.
Duterte also said she was planning on filing charges of disobedience, kidnapping and robbery against the policemen.
‘POLITICAL STORM’
Heeding the call of Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula, the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (LAIKO) yesterday called for sobriety and civility among parties involved in the ongoing political storm involving the country’s top two government officials.
In a statement, the LAIKO said it is imperative for the President and the Vice President to stop their word war and exchange of threats.
“In this spirit, we appeal for sobriety and a return to civility. Let us strive to rise above the cycle of anger and division by reaching out in love to all parties involved in this real-life political drama,” said LAIKO.
“We urge everyone to seek understanding, promote reconciliation, and take responsibility for words and actions that have caused harm,” it also said.
It said it is important for the Catholic faithful to help bring back peace and harmony, instead of looking to worsen the situation.
It said it is the role of the laity to sanctify the world, especially in the “temporal and secular realms”.
“As members of the Catholic laity in a predominantly Catholic country, we cannot remain mere spectators to this unfolding crisis. We cannot stand idly by as words destroy reputations, lives are torn apart, and relationships are fractured,” it said.
“Let us, as the Catholic laity, courageously fulfill our vocation to bring the light of Christ into the world by transforming conflict into peace, hatred into love, and despair into hope,” it also said.
On Wednesday, Advincula appealed to the faithful to pray for Marcos and Duterte, and for them to end their bickering that threatens to divide the nation. – With Wendell Vigilia and Victor Reyes
