CIDG chief: No orders from above to file rap over Duterte's 'kill' remark
MANILA, Philippines — Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Nicholas Torre III denied receiving orders from higher authorities to file complaints against former President Rodrigo Duterte for inciting sedition and unlawful utterances.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, February 18, Torre insisted that the decision to pursue legal action was made independently, without direction from the Senate or Malacañang.
"This is pure law enforcement. The police are law enforcers, so we see a violation of law," Torre stated, asserting that Malacañang should not be involved in the matter.
He confirmed that Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil approved the filing of the cases.
The complaints stem from Duterte's recent remarks at a political rally, where he suggested killing 15 senators to create vacancies for his party's candidates.
Duterte's past promises. He also pointed out that Duterte did not keep his promises to police officers who carried out his orders during the enforcement of his contentious drug war from 2016 to 2022.
“Di ba may pangako siya? Hindi ba may sinabi siya puwede ka mang-rape sagot ko yan ako’y magpapakulong ng sarili ko. Joke ulit yun?,” he said.
(Didn't he make a promise? Didn't he say, ‘You can commit rape, and I'll take responsibility—I’ll even go to jail myself?’ Was that another joke?)
“It’s time already that we hold this person accountable sa kanyang sinasabi, kasi policy ‘yun eh, it’s not a joking matter,” he added.
(It’s time to already that we hold this person accountable for what he’s saying, because it’s policy, it’s not a joking matter).
Filing. On February 17, Torre filed complaints of inciting to sedition and unlawful utterances against Duterte before the Department of Justice for case build-up.
Torre’s complaint arose from the former president’s controversial remarks during the PDP-Laban rally on February 13, where he proposed killing senators to open seats for the party's candidates.
Reaction from Duterte's camp. One of Duterte's legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, claimed that the former president's remark was merely a "joke" and dismissed the filing as baseless.
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