Vice President Sara Duterte did not arrive at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Pasay City on Friday to address the formal charges filed against her in connection with her controversial statements last weekend.
Duterte was summoned to explain her side amid allegations of grave threats, among other offenses, after she publicly threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez killed should a supposed plot to eliminate her succeed.
The Vice President aired these thoughts during a live online press conference early Saturday morning, November 23, when her detained chief of staff—lawyer Zuleika Lopez—was forced by the House of Representatives to transfer at the women’s correctional facility in Mandaluyong City.
According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) sent a letter explaining that Duterte was informed late of the House Blue Ribbon panel’s decision to cancel its November 29 hearing so she could address the subpoena.
Duterte earlier confirmed her attendance to the Friday session of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, which opted to move the scheduled hearing so the Vice President could appear before the NBI.
The NBI rescheduled the summons tentatively on December 11.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story.
