MANILA, Philippines — Following the steps of his daughter, former president Rodrigo Duterte may also be summoned by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) executive on Thursday, November 28.
Vice President Sara Duterte has also been summoned by the NBI to explain her confession that she has contacted someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Rodrigo followed this up with another controversial statement, calling on the Armed Forces of the Philippines to turn against Marcos.
Asked on the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing if the NBI will also summon Rodrigo, DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Andres said it is possible.
“Malaking posibilidad po iyan dahil po lahat ng requirements of due process ay kailangan po nating tuparin,” Andres said.
(There is a big possibility for that because we will fulfill all the requirements of due process.)
Andres said the NBI is continuously monitoring what the former president is saying, as there have been other instances where Rodrigo has asked the military to move on their own.
“I know that the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is a professional organization and they will never interfere in to civil affairs and civil governance,” Andres said.
There was no other agenda to this move other than upholding the law, Andres said.
The DOJ official alluded to the rampant extrajudicial killings during the administration of the former president, saying that it was not the government’s place to take lives without due process, especially if the killing is motivated by revenge.
“We can show to the world, show to our citizens that no one is above the law whether you have power or influence or you are an ordinary citizen you have to face the law equally, and uniformly it will be applied,” Andres said.
The DOJ executive added that the NBI will not shy away from filing cases against Rodrigo if needed.
“It’s necessary for us to pursue the case we will have to do it,” Andres said.
The DOJ did not specify what laws can be filed against Rodrigo, however, sedition has often been thrown around as a possible case against the former president.
The Palace has condemned the actions of both Sara and Rodrigo, as whatever semblance of allyship between the Marcoses and Dutertes has gone down the drain.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin called Rodrigo selfish for his calls to the military, saying that he is going to evil lengths.