SINABI ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) nitong Lunes na nakatakdang mag-isyu ng subpoena kay Vice President Sara Duterte dahil sa kanyang mga banta na papatayin sina Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
Sa isang briefing sa Malacañang, sinabi ni NBI Director Jaime Santiago na hinahangad nilang maihatid ang subpoena sa pinakamaagang posibleng panahon, pagkatapos nito ay magkakaroon ng limang araw si Duterte upang humarap sa ahensya para makapagsalita ng kanyang panig.
Inilunsad ng pangkat ng mga abogado ng ahensya ang imbestigasyon noong Sabado, Nob. 23, kaagad pagkatapos ng virtual press conference ng bise presidente kung saan ibinato niya ang iba’t ibang akusasyon laban sa unang mag-asawa gayundin kay House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Sinabi rin niya na nakipag-ugnayan siya sa isang assassin para patayin ang unang mag-asawa at si Romualdez kapag pinatay siya.
“We are already doing it, and we will serve it as soon as we can. She will be given a chance to explain her side,” sabi ni Santiago.
“The NBI has primary jurisdiction to investigate threats on the President down to the chief justice. So, we will not take this lightly. When we received the video clips of what Vice President Sara said, we immediately conducted an investigation,” dagdag pa niya.
Samantala, sinabi ng Department of Justice (DOJ) na tina-tap nito ang lahat ng law enforcement agencies “upang imbestigahan ang kinaroroonan at ang pagkakakilanlan ng taong ito o mga taong maaaring may pakana laban sa Pangulo.”
“In the light of recent events, very alarming events, the government is taking action to protect our duly elected president. The premeditated plot to assassinate the president, as declared by the self-confessed mastermind, will now face legal consequences,” sabi ni DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Andres sa kaparehong briefing.
“Definitely, we will take it as a serious threat because it came out from the mouth of the vice president. The government’s investigation on this matter will be done right away. It’s important to know how steps were taken to employ an assassin and plot a hit on the president,” sabi ni Andres.
Aniya, hindi sila naniniwala na ang banta ay “taken out of its logical context,” na iginiit ni Duterte.
“We will do everything to have a fair and extensive investigation. We will put into proper context her statements. But I simply recall that when she answered certain questions and she declared the plot to assassinate the president, she even immediately added, ‘This is no joke. I did it, and I wanted to make sure that this person will do it, to its completion.’ Muli, bibigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang bise presidente na magpaliwanag,” sabi ng opisyal.
“The National Bureau of Investigation will take all the necessary steps to unveil the identity of the assassin, including the issuance of a subpoena for Vice President Sara to appear before the NBI so she may shed light on her statements because she directly stated that she secured the services of an assassin who will kill the president, the first lady, and the speaker of the House. These are improper statements from a high-ranking official of our nation,” sabi niya.
Binigyang-katwiran ni Duterte ang kanyang mga sinabi bilang mekanismo ng depensa dahil sa banta sa kanyang sariling buhay at sinabing sinubukan siyang patayin ng isang miyembro ng kanyang security detail.
Pero sinabi ni Santiago na wala silang natatanggap na impormasyon tungkol sa banta sa buhay ng bise presidente.
Sinabi ni Andres na hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na naghangad ng masama si Duterte kay Marcos, na dati ay nagpahayag ng kanyang nais na pugutan ito ng ulo.
“That is why we are not leaving any stone unturned. We will take every effort to protect the president and to investigate everyone that could possibly be involved in this assassination plot of the three high-ranking officials of the government,” sabi ni Andres.
Aniya, si Duterte “is not immune from suit” at haharapin na may “full force of the law.”
“She can be the subject of any criminal, administrative case, and the Ombudsman also has authority to do its duty to discipline and to take necessary measures to deliver on its mandate as the investigator of all high-ranking government officials. So, it is within the authority of the Ombudsman to act on this matter as well,” sabi ni Andres.
“There are many legal possibilities, particularly if it is established there is a conspiracy to make an attempt on the life of our chief executive,” sabi ni Andres.
“Right now, we are open to all possible crimes, and we are not looking at one particular… criminal offense. But as I said, there will be criminal and other legal liabilities that will be enforced against the plotters and those who will execute it and those two took part in it. So, we will complete the investigation and definitely, we will file the appropriate cases. But we will not identify the particular offense at this point.”
Maaari ding magsampa ng disbarment case ang DOJ laban kay Duterte. Posible rin ang sedition charge, aniya.
“Based on our initial study, sedition is a possibility. We are not closing our eyes on other possible criminal offenses, even graver than sedition. But grave threats and sedition are obviously being considered, but we are not making that determination now. Due process warrants that every angle should be investigated. Every party should be given an opportunity to be heard… In due time, we will make that determination to file the appropriate case,” sabi ni Andres.
Sinabi rin ng Philippine National Police na pinag-aaralan nila ang mga posibleng reklamong maaaring ihain laban sa bise presidente.
“Definitely, they are looking for some violation of applicable and relevant laws,” sabi ni PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo.
Parehong sinabi ng NBI at PNP na may posibilidad din ang impeachment, ngunit nasa hurisdiksyon ito ng Kongreso.
Halaw sa ulat nina Kristine Maralit at Francis Earl Cueto sa The Manila Times