The National Bureau of Investigation said it was open to investigating former President Rodrigo Duterte for his remark about killing 15 incumbent senators, but only if the senators themselves file a complaint.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the agency can only launch a motu proprio (on its own initiative) investigation for threats against key government officials, including the President, Vice President, Senate President, House Speaker, and Chief Justice.
“Here is another matter—senators. We need these senators, if they feel they are threatened, to come to us and file a complaint, and then we will take action,” Santiago said.
The NBI earlier filed sedition and grave threat complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte for her alleged threats against Mr. Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romuladez.
But Santiago said the former President’s remark about “blowing up” senators was more of a joke and merely part of his political propaganda.
“We all know Digong – he likes to joke around,” Santiago said, even as he expressed respect for the decision of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to file a complaint for inciting to sedition and unlawful utterances against the Duterte patriarch.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said if an incumbent senator files a complaint, the NBI and the DOJ will act on it.
“We’re used to the language of the former President. We cannot jump at his every word. But if the senators themselves complain, then we have reason to act on the matter because of course they are the ones endangered by such statements,” Remulla said.
CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III cautioned against taking Duterte’s words lightly – citing what happened during the previous administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“That happened before already. He said drug addicts should be killed. And it happened. There was a lot of killing,” Torre said.
During the PDP proclamation rally in San Juan Tuesday last week, Duterte said all of his candidates would get a seat in the Upper Chamber if 15 senators were killed.
“Let’s kill the senators now to vacate the seats. If we can eliminate 15 senators, we can all get in… Talking of opportunities, the only way to do it is to blow them up,” he said.
Santiago said lawmakers from the House of Representatives cannot file a complaint on behalf of the senators as they are not the aggrieved party.
“With due respect sa kanila, they (congressmen) are pushing for the filing of a case, but they are not involved actually – our senators are the ones involved,” he said.
On Tuesday, President Marcos took another swipe at his predecessor during the Alyansa senatorial slate proclamation rally in Pasay City.
“Let me take a moment to look at our candidates and ensure that no one has been hit or blown up by a grenade,” Mr. Marcos said.
He went on to stress that unlike other political groups, the Alyansa ticket does not resort to threats, intimidation, or foul language in its campaign.
“Our direction is progress, not conflict. Not oppression. What we need is development, not fear-mongering or shouting. We need solutions, not heated and harsh words that serve no purpose,” the President added.