MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte failed to appear at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters Friday morning, November 29, where she was summoned as part of an investigation into her remarks about hiring a hitman to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were to be assassinated.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago, who had been waiting at the agency's lobby since before 9 a.m., confirmed that Duterte had requested through a letter delivered by her lawyer to reschedule the summons to a later date.
"Attorney Paul Lorenz Lim arrived with a letter requesting a resetting," Santiago told reporters at a Friday morning press conference.
"Apparently, the Vice President learned late that her appearance before the House committee hearing was cancelled. She couldn't come here and asked for a resetting," Santiago said in mixed Filipino and English.
The vice president had been ordered via subpoena to appear at Santiago's office at 9 a.m. for questioning. The probe centers on Duterte's November 23 virtual press conference where she said she had contracted a hitman to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in retaliation if she were to be assasinated – remarks she later claimed were "taken out of its logical context."
Santiago said they tentatively reset Duterte's appearance for December 11, though the vice president had not specified a preferred date.
The NBI director said Duterte requested a clear copy of the complaint against her and for her to receive the NBI's possible questions in advance — a request he said they might accommodate by Friday afternoon given her position as the country's second-highest official. "We will comply with her request. Baka mamayang hapon makacomply kami (Maybe later afternoon we can already comply)," he said.
Santiago, however, turned evasive, when asked to confirm if the NBI would inform the vice president of their questions in advance. "Pag-uusapan pa namin (We'll talk about it)," he said.
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The subpoena was meant to support the NBI's investigation into Duterte's alleged threats against the president. Specifically, Duterte was asked to face Santiago so she could "shed light on the investigation" into the alleged grave threats and possible violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, according to a copy of the document.
Two days earlier, on Wednesday, November 27, Duterte had addressed the subpoena publicly, confirming she received the document.
She said she had requested to reschedule her appearance at the NBI so she could attend the hearing of the House of Representatives committee on good government's inquiry into her use of confidential funds.
The House good government panel announced yesterday, November 28, that it would postpone its hearing on Friday to give Duterte the chance to face the NBI. The panel's chairperson, Rep. Joel Chua (Manila, 3rd District), said he did not want Duterte to use the committee hearing "as an excuse" not to snub the NBI's summons.