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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Panelo tells NBI director Santiago: Go back to law school

Panelo tells NBI director Santiago: Go back to law school

Published Feb 12, 2025 09:18 am

At A Glance

  • Panelo said the NBI's move reeked of politics and urged the agency to focus on catching criminals instead of wasting public funds to damage the Vice President's reputation.

Former presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo urged National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Jaime Santiago to return to law school as the criminal charges they recommended against Vice President Sara Duterte had neither factual nor lawful basis.

panelo santiago
Atty. Salvador Panelo and National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago (PCO/Santi San Juan/Manila Bulletin photos)

Panelo said this after the NBI recommended filing Inciting to Sedition and Grave Threats charges against the Vice President after her public declaration that she had supposedly contracted someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez should a plan to assassinate her succeeded.

"The Director of the NBI should go back to law school," he said in a statement on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

According to Panelo, the NBI's recommendation to file criminal charges of Grave Threats and Inciting to Sedition against Vice President Duterte has no basis in fact and law.

"There can be no crime of a 'threat' from the grave," he said.

"Neither has VP Sara publicly and tumultuously incited the people to perform acts of sedition as defined by law or to go against the constituted authorities or to stop the enforcement of laws," he added.

Panelo said the NBI's move reeked of politics and urged the agency to focus on catching criminals instead of wasting public funds to damage the Vice President's reputation.

"It obviously is tainted with politics, and still part of the demolition job on her by her political enemies to put her out of contention in the presidential race of 2028," he said.

"The NBI should instead focus on stopping criminals from committing crimes or filing charges against them instead of harassing VP Sara with ludicrous and baseless criminal complaints. It’s a waste of taxpayers money," he added.

Related Tags

VP Sara Duterte Jaime Santiago salvador panelo Sara Duterte National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) law school
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