NBI to probe threat vs Sara Duterte’s life, but VP needs to cooperate

November 29, 2024 | 2:06pm

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it would take the alleged threat on Vice President Sara Duterte’s life seriously but stressed that she would need to cooperate.

On Friday, November 29, Duterte failed to show up at the NBI after being subpoenaed.

Duterte explained that she was not informed in time that the House of Representatives Good Governance Committee hearing was postponed, which would have allowed her to explain to the NBI the death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

In a press briefing following her snubbing, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said there were two main points under investigation from the infamous livestream press conference: the threats she directly made on the lives of the Marcoses and the alleged threat on her own life.

“She is also claiming that there is a threat on her life. Hindi namin ita-take for granted ‘yan. So dalawang portion, ‘yung threat sa president, first lady and the speaker. Second also, ay ‘yung threat naman sa kanyang buhay,” Santiago said. 

(She is also claiming that there is a threat on her life. We will not take that for granted. So there are two portions; the threat on the president, first lady and the speaker. Second also, is the threat on her own life.) 

However, the threat to Marcos had a clear origin. Duterte herself admitted, emphasizing that it was not a joke, that she hired someone to have the Marcoses killed if she died.

Santiago said that Duterte’s claim of her life being in danger lacks specific details.

“Sa kanyang bibig nanggaling eh. Siya ang nagthethreat. Pero ang nagthethreat sa kanya hindi natin alam kung sino. Hindi niya sinasabi. Diyan natin kailangan ng cooperation ni vice president,” Santiago said. 

(The threat came from her. She was the one who threatened. But we do not know who is threatening her. She did not say. Because of that, we need the cooperation of the vice president.) 

While Duterte did not appear before the NBI, she requested a clear copy of the complaint, the documents related to the investigation and a list of possible questions. Santiago said they are still deciding whether to provide her with the list of questions.

Some of those who attended Duterte’s late-night hearing will also be summoned by the NBI to further verify the events of that press conference. Most of them are members of the media who asked questions to the vice president. They may receive their subpoenas within the day.

Duterte’s threat against the Marcoses made headlines across the globe. 

Santiago said this was the first time that a Philippine vice president has made such threats to the sitting president. 

However, this was not the first time that Duterte has made controversial statements against Marcos. 

Prior to crossing legal boundaries with her death threat against Marcos, Dutrtee has admitted that she fantasized about beheading the president.

She also threatened to have the president’s father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., exhumed and tossed into the West Philippine Sea.