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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Sara appears before DOJ, files answer on charges of inciting to sedition, grave threats

VP Sara appears before DOJ, files answer on charges of inciting to sedition, grave threats

Published May 9, 2025 05:11 pm

Vice President Sara Duterte appeared before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, May 9, during the start of the preliminary investigation on charges of inciting to sedition and grave threats filed against her by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“Nagfile lang po ang ating Bise Presidente. Nagsubmit na rin po siya ng kanyang counter-affidavit laban doon sa complaint na inihain ng NBI (The Vice President submitted her counter-affidavits on the complaints filed by the NBI),” Duterte’s lawyer, Michael Poa, told journalists.

Lawyer Paul Lim, also one of the lawyers of the Vice President, said: “Naglalahad ng kanyang mga dahilan kung bakit dapat hindi ipagpatuloy at ibasura na lang ang mga paratang na reklamo laban sa kanya (Detailed her reasons why the complaint should not prosper and must be junked).”

When asked by journalists about the details of the counter-affidavit, Poa declined and said: “We will not discuss po muna ‘yung aming depensa (we will not discuss our defense at the moment).”

He explained that this is “with due respect na rin para po ma-appreciate na walang outside influence ng mga prosecutors (so that the prosecutors will be able to appreciate this without outside influence).”

Vice President Duterte declined to issue any comment based on the advise of her lawyers.

Though she snubbed the summons of the NBI during the law enforcement agency’s investigation, Poa said Duterte’s appearance at the DOJ showed her commitment to her previous statements that she will face the accusations against her before the proper venue.

“Parati naman po niya sinasabi noon na haharapin naman talaga n’ya sa tamang venue ‘yung mga binabatong mga accusations laban sa kanya which ginawa n’ya today (She always said before that she will really face the accusations against her before the proper venue which she did today),” Poa also said.

He added that “we can only expect due process” from the DOJ’s preliminary investigation of the complaint.

Meanwhile, Poa said the panel of prosecutors assigned to conduct the preliminary investigation on the case gave the NBI opportunity to respond to her counter-affidavit.

The next hearing of the complaints is set on May 16.

Poa said Duterte does not have to appear during the next hearing.

The charges against Duterte arose from her statement during a press conference in November last year.  It was reported that Duterte said that in the event she dies, she has already instructed someone to kill President Marcos, the First Lady, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Duterte also reported that her statement “is not a joke.”

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