By Brian Campued
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has tapped the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the alleged assassination plot against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In a press release Tuesday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he has instructed the NBI to hunt down the supposed assassins contracted by Vice President Sara Duterte.
This follows the threatening and profanity-laden remarks of the Vice President against the First Couple and the House Speaker during an online media conference.
In a Malacañang press briefing Monday, DOJ Usec. Jesse Hermogenes Andres, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon, and NBI Director Jaime Santiago vowed to make Duterte accountable for her actions.
Andres, likewise, confirmed a subpoena will be issued “as soon as possible” sans the filing of a complaint and allow the Vice President to clarify her remarks.
“Ang imbestigasyon po na gagawin ng gobyerno ukol sa bagay na ito ay agad-agaran. Importante pong malaman kung ano ang mga naging hakbang para po kumuha ng serbisyo ng isang mamamatay-tao na nagpaplano ng masamang balakin sa ating mahal na Pangulo,” the DOJ official said.
“At gagawin po ng National Bureau of Investigation ang lahat ng mga hakbang para matunton ang identity nito kasama po ang pag-iisyu po ng subpoena kay Vice President Sara na humarap sa NBI para bigyan po ng kaliwanagan ang kaniyang mga pananalita,” he added.
According to the DOJ, the government is also looking into filing sedition charges or “other obviously criminal offenses, even graver than sedition” against Duterte.
Andres, however, clarified that the DOJ is “not making that determination now” and asserted that due process will be followed.
It can be recalled that the Vice President has made similar tirades in her previous press conference, insinuating to chop off the President’s head.
However, the DOJ said, her most recent admission that she has contracted an assassin to kill Marcos must not be taken lightly.
“She is the beneficiary of the death of the President, so her words have to be taken in the proper context,” Andres stressed.
“This is a serious threat and a very bad precedent for our country if we will not take legal action on these kinds of threats coming from a very high ranking official. We have to maintain order in a civilized society by adherence to the rule of law, and we will apply the full force of the law,” he added.
Meanwhile, the NBI, for its part, is determining whatever action the government’s criminal investigative body will take against the Vice President.
Should Duterte ignore the subpoena, Santiago said they will proceed with their probe and use whatever legal evidence the agency has.
“Kung ano ’yong ebidensya na nandoon sa kamay namin ay we will proceed with it,” the NBI director said.
President Marcos, in a video message, vowed to stand firmly against the supposed death threats against him, his wife, and Romualdez as such statements raise concerns about security of the nation and the citizens.
“’Yan ay aking papalagan,” the President said.
“Kung ganun na lang kadali ang pagplano sa pagpatay ng isang Presidente, papaano pa kaya ang mga karaniwan na mamamayan? ’Yang ganyang criminal na pagtatangka ay hindi dapat pinapalampas,” he added.
—iro