Joselito Malig

Sara Duterte’s camp denies issuing threat over move to dismiss grave threats raps

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte clarified Friday that it did not issue a threat for saying that other incumbent impeachable officers including the President may face the same fate if a sitting vice president may be indicted and prosecuted following the grave threats complaint filed by the Justice department against Duterte before a Quezon City court.This was in response to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro who earlier asked Duterte’s camp if “they [are] issuing yet another threat”.“However, we must remember that no one is above the law. Anyone who violates the law or abuses their authority must face the consequences of their actions,” Castro said in a statement Friday in response to Duterte’s legal counsel Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim who earlier said that they filed a manifestation “emphasizing the need for oral arguments” on the vice president’s motion to quash, considering ‘the far-reaching consequences’ of the grave threat cases.“In fact, any impeachable official may be impeached provided there are valid grounds, rather than cases built on fabricated evidence and paid false witnesses. Let us put an end to the infamous culture for which they are know,” Castro argued.“I respect the palace press officer’s opinion no but of course it was never issued as a threat it was issued as a statement of fact,” Lim said in response an online press conference Friday afternoon.“The vice president is not the only impeachable officer… if she will be treated this way ‘yun na rin ba ang mangyayari din sa iba? Is that the meaning of that? Tama naman sinabi niya ‘no one is above the law’. I agree with that. If the vice president has to answer for example for any crime, should it be now that she is still a sitting vice president? Or later when she is no longer, if ever? ” he added.Duterte’s camp earlier sought to dismiss the grave threats cases citing lack of jurisdiction.“Ang sa’ming pananaw kasi ‘yung ating bise presidente ay isang impeachable officer. Sa Constitution kasi may tinatawag na opisyal na pwede lamang matanggal sa kanilang posisyon sa pamamagitan ng impeachment,” Lim stated.“At dahil sila ay impeachable officer, hindi dapat sila kinakakasuhan ng kasong kriminal katulad ng sinampa sa ating bise presidente,” he added.A deferment of arrest warrant was also filed by Duterte’s camp pending resolution on the issue of jurisdiction.

The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte clarified Friday that it did not issue a threat for saying that other incumbent impeachable officers including the President may face the same fate if a sitting vice president may be indicted and prosecuted.

The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte clarified Friday that it did not issue a threat for saying that other incumbent impeachable officers including the President may face the same fate if a sitting vice president may be indicted and prosecuted.