The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed charges of grave threats and inciting to sedition against Vice President Sara Duterte for allegedly threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez in an online press conference in November 2024. The charges are based on evidence examined by a six-person panel led by NBI Director Jaime Santiago.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) will review sufficient evidence before proceeding with the preliminary investigation. The punishment for the charges Duterte is facing could be heavy, especially as the punishment for threats made online under the Cybercrime Prevention Act is higher.
Duterte has already been impeached by the House of Representatives, and is just waiting for the start of his impeachment trial in the Senate. Legal experts debate whether it should be started before the end of the current Congress to avoid procedural challenges in the next Congress.
Some lawmakers and critics, including former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, are calling for additional charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Meanwhile, Duterte's allies say the legal actions are politically motivated. The NBI's move was hailed by pro-administration lawmakers as a step toward accountability. The outcome of these legal and impeachment proceedings remains uncertain.
