PNP: VP should substantiate claims on threats

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte should substantiate her allegations that she has been receiving threats to her security since 2023, the Philippine National Police said yesterday.

At a Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co urged Duterte to come forward and give them details about the threats she is allegedly receiving so they could conduct an investigation.

According to Co, the PNP would never threaten her, stressing they are mandated to protect not only the President, who is their commander-in-chief, but also Duterte being the second highest official in the country.

Co said they are also keeping tabs on netizens who have been issuing threats against the government through their social media accounts.

The police spokesman warned the public that even if they locked their profile on Facebook, police investigators can still probe them for their wrongdoing.

“It’s no different from identifying the perpetrators of other crimes,” he said.

After her arraignment for a grave threats case at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court was deferred on Friday, Duterte again mentioned about the threats she is facing from the Marcos administration.

She earlier said she does not trust the courts and the police.

‘Self-serving’

Duterte’s demand for President Marcos to resign is the height of callousness and is every bit self-serving, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said yesterday at the same forum.

Ridon, who serves as a member of the House prosecution in the impeachment trial of Duterte, said there would be no problem and it is even expected from the supporters of the Vice President to call for the resignation of the President.

But for the Vice President herself, as the constitutionally-provided first in the line of succession in case the President is removed from office, Ridon said that was just plain humorous.

“I cannot remember at the height of EDSA Dos or in the time of resident (Rodrigo) Duterte that the vice president, who may benefit from the resignation of the president, actually called for a resignation,” Ridon said.

Ridon said the Vice President should just leave it to her spokespersons or supporters to express these types of sentiments.

Relevant

Lawyer Mans Carpio is highly relevant to the unexplained wealth charge against his wife Sara Duterte because what he owns also has bearing on her wealth, Ridon said.

He said questioning Carpio could help establish the actual extent of the couple’s properties, wealth and business interests.

According to him, the prosecution is therefore keeping open the option of calling Carpio as a hostile witness as it begins presenting evidence on the unexplained wealth charge.

The Senate impeachment court earlier allowed subpoenas for bank and tax records involving Duterte, Carpio and their companies. Prosecutors have since received copies of the documents for use in Article II.

Ridon said prosecutors are reviewing more than 1,800 financial documents for Article II, including bank and tax records involving Duterte, Carpio and their companies.

The prosecution is scheduled to begin on Sept. 14 presenting evidence to prove its allegation that Duterte betrayed public trust for arising from alleged unexplained wealth. — Daphne Galvez