NBI: We’re not harassing VP Duterte, it’s just that 鈥榥o one is above the law鈥�
National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago holds a press conference after Vice President Sara Duterte failed to appear at the NBI. (黑料社 / NOY MORCOSO)
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) refutes that it is subjecting Vice President Sara Duterte to harassment.
This comes after the agency filed criminal cases against her, particularly inciting to sedition and grave threat.
The bureau maintains that “no one is above the law.”
NBI Director Jaime Santiago made the pronouncement after former Presidential Spokesperson and long-time Duterte-ally Salvador Panelo tagged the complaints as mere forms of harassment.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: Panelo slams NBI on case vs Sara Duterte: ‘Go back to law school’
Article continues after this advertisement“Hindi po namin hina-harass si vice president. Nirerespeto namin sya. ‘Ma’am, remember no one is above the law.’ Kung sino nagba-violate ng law, pananagutin,” said Santiago in a press conference.
(We are not harassing the vice president. We respect her. ‘Ma’am, remember no one is above the law.’ Whoever violates the law will be held accountable.)
“Itong kasong ipinataw, isinampa namin not because she is the vice president. It was filed because she committed a crime,” he pointed out.
(This case that was filed, we filed it not because she is the vice president. It was filed because she committed a crime.)
He said NBI remains “neutral, impartial and apolitical,” adding that the agency is only doing its job.
READ: NBI recommends filing case vs VP Duterte for threatening Marcos
Criminal cases justified
Santiago also disputed Panelo’s argument against the case of grave threat – that there can be “no crime of a ‘threat’ from the grave.
“Alam naman nating lahat na you cannot charge a dead person… pero ang threat nya, sinabi nya ngayon na nabubuhay siya,” explained the NBI chief.
(We all know that you cannot charge a dead person… but she made the threat while she’s alive.)
Santiago was referring to when Duterte, during an online press conference, said she instructed someone to kill President Marcos, along with his wife First Lady Liza Marcos, and cousin House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she would be assassinated.
“Paano makakapagsalita ang patay na? Ngayon nya sinabi, so ngayon sya criminally liable,” said Santiago.
(How can a dead person speak? She spoke now, so it is now when she is criminally liable.)
He also defended the inciting to sedition case the NBI filed, once again citing Duterte’s press conference where the vice president allegedly encouraged her followers to “commit disturbance and seditious acts.”
“Kung merong move to disturbance, sedition na. Pero inciting pa nga lang eh, kasi may nag-i-incite pa lang,” Santiago told reporters.
(If there is a move to disturbance, it is sedition. But it is still just inciting, because someone was just inciting.)
“Naku, mga first year student ng law, alam na alam po yan,” he added, alluding to Panelo’s “go back to law school” remark against the NBI head.
(Oh, first year law students already know that.)
