黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� It is not right for Vice President Sara Duterte to say that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is partial as it probes into the alleged threat she made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Andres asserted that the agency is just doing its job to investigate and prosecute crimes, regardless of the individuals involved 鈥� even if they are high-ranking government officials.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not right to say that the Department of Justice is biased. The Department of Justice will listen to the side of our vice president and consider all possible evidence presented, including testimonies from other witnesses,鈥� Andres said in Filipino in a 鈥淭eleradyo鈥� interview on Thursday.

READ: Sara Duterte鈥檚 kill remark vs Marcos is 鈥榓ctive threat鈥� 鈥� Palace

鈥淪he will be given the full opportunity to be heard before we evaluate the case and decide whether to file charges,鈥� he added.

He also emphasized that the subpoena issued to Duterte would allow her to explain her side regarding her pronouncement that she hired someone to kill the president, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself would be killed. Andres pointed out that such issuance ensures that due process was being followed.

Duterte previously accused the DOJ of being biased in its probe into her alleged kill order against Marcos, his wife, and his cousin.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think this investigation is fair. We can see that the president鈥檚 pronouncement is biased,鈥� Duterte said in Filipino at a press conference on Wednesday.

鈥淎s you may have seen, during an interview, an undersecretary from the Department of Justice said, 鈥楢 threat is a threat.鈥� This alone indicates their stance on the matter. Even though they claim to be conducting an investigation, it seems they had already decided to file charges from the very beginning,鈥� she added.

Duterte鈥檚 office received the subpoena, but the vice president did not personally appear at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), an attached agency of the DOJ, on Wednesday, December 11. She instead submitted a letter denying the allegations against her.

鈥淎t the end of the day, the legal process, such as the issuance of a subpoena, will grant you the opportunity to present your explanation and present your witnesses. You may also be assisted by counsel during the investigation,鈥� Andres said.

鈥淎ll of these are provided by our National Bureau of Investigation. Unfortunately, our vice president will not be attending,鈥� he added.

In the same radio interview, Andres likewise said that President Marcos was not interfering with the DOJ investigation, asserting the independence of the agency despite being under the executive department.

鈥淔irst and foremost, the president is not dictating on us or anyone else,鈥� Andres said.

READ: NBI admits to start from scratch on probing threat vs VP Sara Duterte

鈥淚n fact, our president has stated that he does no agreement with the impeachment because it would be a waste of time,鈥� he added.

Andres stressed, however, that the president鈥檚 point of view would not affect the DOJ鈥檚 mandate as the country鈥檚 prosecutorial and investigating arm.

鈥淚f we find ourselves in a situation where our prosecutorial, investigative, and law enforcement agencies fail to act, then we are accountable to the public. This is because any crime is fundamentally a matter of public security,鈥� he said.

鈥淓very crime is not just a concern of the private offended party, every crime disturbs the peace. [Because] a criminal offense is a crime against society, that鈥檚 why we have to do something,鈥� he added.