Vice President Sara Duterte did not show up yesterday at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to explain why she made death threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez even while she insisted on not having any regrets for making the controversial remarks.
In a press conference, the Vice President said the threats serve as a warning to her political rivals that they too will be targeted should she be killed.
“It’s a good thing they know that if I die, I will not die in vain. I’m at peace with whatever happens to me,” she said in a mixture of Filipino and English.
Duterte also said she is currently thinking about engaging the services of private security personnel as she does not trust her current security detail, and will not accept replacements from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“I will not accept replacements. So if they pull out, they will not replace it. They will just leave what is left,” she stressed.
However, Duterte said she sees removal from office as the “worst-case scenario” amid the series of legal challenges filed against her.
The Vice President assured that she would face the cases squarely, saying she would never flee the country.
“I do not plan to leave the country. I do not plan to hide if there will be a warrant of arrest. Mainly because my children are here. So, if I am detained, I want to be able to still see my children,” Duterte declared.
Meanwhile, the NBI Director Jaime Santiago said their investigation would have been easier if Duterte personally appeared before them to explain her side instead of simply sending a letter through her counsel.
Her appointment at the NBI on Wednesday was the second that the Vice President missed.
The NBI chief explained that his office is constrained to write a report on Duterte’s supposed culpability based on the information currently available because they do not intend to reschedule another appointment with her.
“With this letter, with the clippings on hand, with the interviews we had, we will collate it all, we will discuss for almost 3 weeks to formulate a report that will be fair for all involved in this incident,” said Santiago in a press conference.
He also explained the letter is not the counter-affidavit they were hoping to get, because in it, the Vice President merely confirmed what her lawyers already said.
Also, Duterte failed to specify details regarding an alleged threat against her, instead, indicating only that she was threatened six months ago.
Santiago emphasized that the NBI is duty-bound to investigate the threat against the President because Duterte herself issued the threat openly.
Santiago, however, emphasized that the Vice President returned their courtesy by “sending lawyers and denying that she committed threats to the life of the President.”
He said the bureau will be submitting its report to the Department of Justice (DOJ) by early January next year.
Still, Santiago assured that his phone line would remain open for Duterte during the interim period.
