THE Department of Justice (DOJ) will now evaluate the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) completed probe into Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged threat against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon announced at a Palace press briefing that the DOJ will send prosecutors to review the evidence gathered by the NBI. The decision on whether to file charges, return the case to the NBI for further investigation, or take other action will depend on the outcome of this evaluation.
Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez clarified that this evaluation is a standard part of the “case build-up” process. A preliminary investigation will only be initiated if the evidence is deemed sufficient.
VP Duterte did not participate in the NBI’s investigation, citing concerns about fairness. The investigation stems from her controversial statement about hiring someone to kill the President if something were to happen to her. This remark prompted an investigation into alleged grave threats under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and potential violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
President Marcos has vowed to counter any “criminal attempts” following VP Duterte’s statement, describing the remarks as alarming.
