Malacañang on Thursday rejected insinuations that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had a hand in the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) inquiry into Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged assassination threats, calling the claim the “lowest form of argument.”
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the statement after Duterte’s counsel, Carlo Narvasa, questioned during the impeachment trial the NBI’s investigation into the alleged threats against Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Narvasa pointed out that the NBI operates under the Department of Justice, which belongs to the executive branch headed by the President.
Castro dismissed the argument, saying the NBI’s place under the DOJ should not be used to cast doubt on its investigation.
“Unang-una po, hindi naman po talaga dapat maikuwestiyon ang sitwasyon po ng NBI dahil alam po natin ang NBI kahit wala pa pong pagbabanta ang Bise Presidente ay under na po ito ng DOJ at ang DOJ po ay parte ng ehekutibo,” Castro said.
“Para ipakita at nag-i-insinuate na may kinalaman ang Pangulo sa pag-iimbestigang ito, ito ay ang pinakamababa siguro klase ng argumento,” she added.
Castro said the NBI has a clear mandate to investigate threats against the life of the President as part of efforts to protect the country’s Chief Executive.
She also said the issue should not be reduced to whether authorities were able to prove an actual threat, noting that the video of Duterte’s alleged remarks had already been widely seen, including outside the Philippines.
Castro also rejected attempts to invoke the supposed “Operation Romanov,” which Duterte’s camp claimed was a plot to eliminate the Vice President’s family, as justification for her alleged “kill” remarks against Marcos, Araneta-Marcos, and Romualdez.
“Ang pagbabanta ay pagbabanta, sinuman ka man, nagbanta ka sa buhay ng Pangulo, kahit ikaw ay isang nanay, ikaw ay isang Bise Presidente, walang pagkakaiba iyon, nagbanta ka pa rin sa buhay ng Pangulo,” she said.
Castro said Malacañang expects the impeachment proceedings to be conducted according to law and decided based on evidence, not on efforts to shield any public official.
She said the Palace has no authority to assess the first three days of the trial, but noted that the proceedings appeared to have been orderly.
“Ma-expect natin na unang-una ay tumupad sila sa batas, gawin ang hearing or trial naaayon sa rules and procedure, at magkaroon ng desisyon naaayon sa ebidensya,” Castro said.
“Para, ito naman ay para sa taong bayan, hindi para iligtas ang isang politiko kahit na kung marami mga ebidensya pero iligtas natin, ito po ay isang betrayal na rin sa taong bayan,” she added.
Duterte is facing impeachment over allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery of Department of Education officials, and grave threats against Marcos, Araneta-Marcos, and Romualdez.