Witness links ex-Pres. Duterte's ICC case to VP's kill threat capability

MANILA, Philippines — National Bureau of Investigation Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc on Tuesday said that being the daughter of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is among the factors considered by the NBI in determining Vice President Sara Duterte’s capability to carry out her grave threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and some members of his family.

“As we all know, her father, the former president, is currently facing a case before the [International Criminal Court] over extrajudicial killings, et cetera. So we considered that given that situation, she has the capability to carry it out, aside from the fact that she is the vice president,”Lotoc said in Filipino on the fifth day of the vice president’s impeachment trial.

He made the remarks after Senate President and Senator-Judge Sherwin Gatchalian asked him: “Nakita niyo ba kung merong capability si Vice President Sara Duterte (Did you see that Vice President Sara Duterte had the capability?)

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“Definitely,” Lotoc immediately responded.

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Gatchalian then asked Lotoc what evidence the NBI had that made them say that the vice president had the capability to follow through with her supposed utterances.

“Well, for one, she is the vice president of the Republic of the Philippines,” Lotoc said.

Gatchalian interjected by saying not because one is the vice president, or the senate president, it would mean that they already have capability to do such things.

Lotoc agreed and said, “Yes, your honor, not necessarily…”

Vice President Duterte, meanwhile, is facing an impeachment trial before the Senate after being accused of culpable violation of the constitution, high crimes, and betrayal of public trust for her alleged plot to have President Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez assassinated if she too is killed, as stated in Article IV of the Impeachment Articles. /gsg

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