MANILA — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla assured Vice President Sara Duterte that her security detail can inspect the premises of the Department of Justice in preparation for the preliminary investigation into the inciting to sedition complaint filed against her by the National Bureau of Investigation.

The preliminary investigations, which will determine whether a case will be filed in court, will be held at the DOJ on May 9 and 16.

Sara Duterte to attend preliminary probe on sedition, grave threat raps

“Open naman. Puwede silang pumunta rito to secure the premises,” Remulla said.

(The office is open. They can come here to secure the premises.)

Remulla said the decision to indict Duterte or to dismiss the complaint will “be the call of the Prosecutor General.”

The complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation stemmed from an expletive-laden broadcast where Duterte claimed to have instructed someone to kill President Fedinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and his cousin in case she is killed first. 

“May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kaniya na kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta at si Martin Romualdez. No joke. Nagbilin na ako,” she said.

(I have talked to someone. I told him that if I am killed, he should kill [Marcos Jr.], Liza Araneta and Martin Romualdez. No joke. I already left instructions)

The vice president has insisted that her remarks were taken out of context and that she was simply venting frustration with the administration.

Her supporters have also said it was a "conditional" threat, and therefore, no threat at all.

House members dispute VP Sara's denial of threatening Marcos, family