AFTER Vice President Sara Duterte made a controversial remark claiming she had ordered someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the event of an alleged plot against her, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced on Tuesday that no individual is currently being investigated as a potential person of interest.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago explained that the investigation is still in its early stages and that the NBI intends to subpoena Duterte to allow her to formally clarify her statement, which authorities have deemed a potential threat to the President and a matter of national security.
“There is no person of interest yet,” Santiago said. “That’s why we want to speak with VP Sara. Our agents will serve the subpoena at the Office of the Vice President today.”
Santiago also indicated that the NBI does not expect Duterte to immediately reveal the identity of the individual she allegedly instructed to carry out the assassination, but emphasized the importance of understanding why she made the statement. “We still hope VP Sara will explain why she made those remarks,” he added.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed on Monday that it would issue the subpoena for Duterte following her comment about an alleged assassination plot targeting not only Marcos but also First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Duterte remarked during a media briefing at the House of Representatives, where her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, had been detained after being cited in contempt by a House committee.
Duterte reportedly told the media: “I’ve already spoken to someone, so don’t worry about my security. I told that person to kill BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez if I were to be slain.”
She further elaborated, saying, “Ma’am, I’ve already left a directive. After I’m killed, don’t stop until you’ve killed them all.”
Following the backlash, Duterte clarified that her comments were not meant as a threat but aimed to highlight the perceived risks to her security.
In response to the statement, President Marcos vowed on Monday to block any “criminal attempts” against him.
“If it’s that easy to plan the assassination of a President, how about that of ordinary citizens?” he said in a video message. “Such a criminal attempt should not be overlooked. I will not let that slide.”, he added.
The DOJ, meanwhile, referred to Duterte’s remarks as a “self-confessed” admission of masterminding an assassination plot and suggested that she could face legal consequences for her statement.