ACT-Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said she was disappointed over the dismissal of her grave threats complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the grave threats complaint “for lack of evidence.”
Castro, quoted by reports, said that the dismissal of her complaint invalidated the fear she and her family received from Duterte’s threats.
The lawmaker, however, hinted that the fight may not yet be over as she plans to discuss her next move with her lawyers.
In a resolution, the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office in a resolution said it finds that the evidence is “insufficient to indict respondent for grave threats in as much as the requisite elements for the crime appear to have been not sufficiently and concretely established contrary to what the complainant wanted to impress upon this Office.”
The prosecutor said Castro’s complaint failed to establish that Duterte intended his alleged threats to be taken seriously during his “Gikan Sa Masa, Para Sa Masa” program at SMNI last year.
“It feels that I was denied justice,” Castro said.
Castro added her camp has yet to receive a copy of the decision, and that she will appeal the QC court decision. “We need to study the decision and I have to consult my lawyers regarding our next steps.”
Castro filed the grave threat complaint after Duterte gave on-air advice to his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, about how she could use intelligence and confidential funds allocated to her office.
The prosecutor said Duterte “would have just directly and immediately pronounced the threats” if he wanted to intimidate Castro instead of resorting to “sarcastic” jokes and banter.