The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Monday it had asked Facebook Meta to preserve the video of the late-night press conference of Vice President Sara Duterte where she said she contracted someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if an alleged plot against her succeeds.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago said that they do not take Duterte’s statement lightly and are conducting a motu proprio investigation on the matter.
“Ang unang ginawa namin ay to write the Facebook for preservation of the video. Nai-preserve na ‘yan kaagad ng Facebook,” Santiago said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
(The first thing we did was to write to Facebook for the preservation of the video. Facebook immediately preserved the video.)
He also confirmed the authenticity of the now-viral video, reiterating that it is not deepfake or was generated using artificial intelligence (AI).
Furthermore, Santiago said the NBI may subpoena Duterte following her statement against Marcos.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) later confirmed that a subpoena would be issued against Duterte following her assassination remark against Marcos.
Santiago emphasized that a vice president is not immune from suit during tenure, unlike the President.
“May [we have] primary jurisdiction kami sa mga [in] cases involving threats to security or assault against the President, Vice President down to the Chief Justice. So kahit walang mandato, kahit walang order sa’min, we can take investigation. We can conduct investigation motu proprio. ‘Yun ang ginawa namin nung natanggap namin ‘yung viral video,” he said.
(So even if there is no mandate or order, we can investigate. We can conduct and investigation motu proprio. That’s what we did when we received the viral video.)
“Out of respect, hindi namin siya inaresto agad. We will conduct investigation, and kung kinakailangan ay isa-subpoena namin siya para mag-shed light sa kanyang mga pahiwatig,” he added.
(Out of respect, we did not arrest her immediately. We will conduct an investigation, and if necessary, we will subpoena her for her to shed light on her statement.)
Duterte made the kill remark early Saturday morning during a media conference at the House of Representatives where Office of the Vice President (OVP) chief of staff and undersecretary Zuleika Lopez was detained after being cited in contempt.
Specifically, she said she contracted a person to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez, if she herself gets killed.
“Huwag kang mag-alala sa security ko kasi may kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘pag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez,” Duterte said.
(I’ve already spoken to someone, so don’t worry about my security. I told that person to kill BBM [Marcos’ initials], Liza Araneta and Martin Romualdez if I were to be slain.)
“Nagbilin na ako, Ma’am. ‘Pag namatay ako, huwag ka tumigil hanggang hindi mo mapapatay sila. And then he said ‘yes.”’
(Ma’am, I’ve already left a directive. After I die, don’t stop until you’ve killed them all. And then he said, “Yes.”)
Duterte later on clarified that her “assassination” statement was not a threat, saying she only highlighted the alleged threat to her security.
She also said her statement was “maliciously taken out of context,” as she questioned as a member of the National Security Council (NSC), she has not been invited to the meetings of the council, which National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said is “closely coordinating with law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate the nature of the threat, the possible perpetrators, and their motives.”
“I would like to see a copy of the notice of meeting with proof of service, the list of attendees, photos of the meeting, and the notarized minutes of meeting where the Council, whether present or past, resolved to consider the remarks by a Vice President against a President, maliciously taken out of logical context, as a national security concern,” Duterte had said.
“Moreover, please submit within 24 hours, an explanation in writing with legal basis why the VP is not a member of the NSC or why as member I have not been invited to the meetings, whichever is applicable,” she added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
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