HOUSE prosecutor Terry L. Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list has said Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s remarks suggesting that a hitman could be hired for P5,000 bolster the impeachment charge stemming from her alleged threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
Ridon said the remarks were troubling because they came just after the panel rested its case on the fourth impeachment article concerning alleged grave threats.
Article IV stems from Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 livestream, during which she said she had instructed someone to kill Marcos, the First Lady and Romualdez if she herself were killed. The prosecution alleges that the remarks constituted grave threats, culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.
“Well, again, with respect, I think the Vice President has a violent mind,” Ridon said during a press briefing Thursday.
He added: “She’s being prosecuted today on threats. The last thing I think any person being investigated on threats would do would be to talk about threats.”
Ridon was referring to Duterte’s remarks to reporters outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where she suggested that a hitman could allegedly be hired for P5,000 while arguing that not all killings should automatically be attributed to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
“The question is being asked of her, ito ba ’yung presyo na iginawad ng ating Pangalawang Pangulo noong siya ay nagbanta laban sa Pangulo at sa kanyang pamilya? Is the price of the life of the President P5,000 only?” Ridon said.
“’Yan ba ’yung exact mechanism kung paano niya ginawa nung nagbanta siya sa Pangulo at sa kanyang pamilya?”
House trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur said Duterte’s remarks also raise questions because they came immediately after the prosecution concluded presenting evidence on the threat charge.
“Ayaw ko sanang tanggapin na ang ating Bise Presidente ay mukhang meron siyang mastery pagdating sa patayan sa kalsada,” Alonto Adiong said.
“Siya mismo ang naglalatag. Ang unang tatanungin ng ating taong-bayan, paano niya ito nalalaman to a point na detalyado ang kanyang paglalarawan?”
He said the timing of Duterte’s remarks could not be ignored.
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