Philippines delays V-P Duterte questioning over Marcos comments
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Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte was scheduled to appear at the National Bureau of Investigation on Nov 29.
PHOTO: AFP
MANILA – The Philippine authorities delayed a meeting with Vice-President Sara Duterte to explain her apparent threat to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated if she is killed.
Ms Duterte was scheduled to appear at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Nov 29, but NBI director Jaime Santiago said a hearing is now tentatively set for Dec 11. The delay was at Ms Duterte’s request.
“We are investigating the video clips” threatening the President and First Lady, Mr Santiago said, noting the Vice-President is not immune from legal action. He added that the authorities were also taking seriously Ms Duterte’s claim that she is facing threats.
Ms Duterte was summoned by the investigation bureau following her apparent threat to kill Mr Marcos, his wife Louise Araneta-Marcos and his cousin, House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez.
A separate decision by the House of Representatives to cancel the Nov 29 committee hearing on the budget for Ms Duterte’s office came in late “so she’s not ready for the NBI investigation”, Mr Santiago said, citing a letter from Ms Duterte’s lawyer.
The police this week also filed a complaint against her and her security detail over allegations of assault and coercion following an incident involving the transfer of her chief of staff to a government hospital from the House of Representatives, where the staffer was detained.
GMA News earlier reported Ms Duterte would not appear on Nov 29, citing her lawyer, but noted her representatives had gone to the investigation bureau. BLOOMBERG
