Congressmen urge NBI to launch probe similar to VP Sara’s
Leaders of the House of Representatives are calling for an investigation into ex-President Rodrigo Duterte’s “joke” about having 15 incumbent senators killed to make way for his senatorial candidates as they decried the former leader’s apparent obsession with killing.
On Sunday, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong urged the National Bureau of Investigation to review the elder Duterte’s remarks in the same manner it investigated the kill threat made by Vice President Sara Duterte against President Marcos and his kin.
“It is only appropriate to subject the former president’s statements to the same level of scrutiny,” he said in a statement.
The Manila Standard sought NBI Director Jaime Santiago’s comment on lawmakers’ request that his agency probe the ex-President’s latest “kill” remark, but he requested time to review the matter.
Similarly, Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun of Zambales saw parallels between father and daughter’s penchant for making death threats against their political rivals.
He said the elder Duterte might be thinking he is above the law for repeatedly making threats of killing and assassination with no fear of consequences.
“Both father and daughter are just the same… A case may be filed against the former President Duterte for what he is doing, just like the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation against VP Sara Duterte,” he noted.
He emphasized that the filing of charges of inciting to sedition and grave threats against his daughter should have prompted the former leader to rethink his habit of making threats.
“The case against the Vice President sends the message that under this government, no one is above the law,” he stressed.
Still, Khonghun said Duterte’s alarming rhetoric would not save his senatorial candidates from being defeated in the May elections.
“The ticket of Team China is weak, while Team Pilipinas (Alyansa) is strong,” he said.
For her part, Taguig City Rep. Pammy Zamora slammed the Dutertes for normalizing violence in public discourse, warning that their words embolden lawlessness and degrade democracy.
Zamora, an assistant majority leader, hit Duterte’s recent statement where he joked about killing 15 senators to pave the way for his preferred candidates in the Senate.
“This is beyond reckless. A former president joking about murder is unacceptable. Words like these from a leader have real consequences,” she said.
She also took a swipe at the incumbent Vice President, saying her actions mirrored the same reckless leadership style.
“Leadership is about serving the people, not threatening them. A true leader inspires, not intimidates,” she said. With Pot Chavez