Philippine vice president skips hearing into threats she made against the president

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine vice president on Wednesday skipped the first hearing into threats she made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying she did not believe the investigation will be fair.

Vice President Sara Duterte was subpoenaed to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation but instead sent her lawyer, who submitted a letter saying their client vehemently “denies having made any threat constituting grave threat” under the law.

Duterte has tried to walk back her comments in a Nov. 23 online news conference where she publicly threatened Marcos, his wife and House Speaker Martin Romualdez with death. She later said it was rather an expression of concern for her own safety, claiming to have received death threats.

Marcos and Duterte have fallen out since winning the 2022 election. The two offices are elected separately in the Philippines, which has resulted in rivals occupying the country’s top political posts.

Duterte is the 46-year-old daughter former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is being investigated by the International Criminal Court over the killings of thousands of suspects during a crackdown on illegal drugs he had ordered.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago told reporters that the preliminary investigation of Sara Duterte will proceed with or without her presence or counter-affidavit, and that his office will submit by early January its report to the Department of Justice. The investigation was supposed to start on Nov. 29 but was rescheduled on Duterte’s request.

“I don’t think this investigation will be fair,” she told reporters Wednesday. “Even if they say there is an investigation, from the very beginning they already decided to file cases.”

Duterte said she has no plans of leaving the country to hide, and the she and her lawyers were preparing for impeachment cases filed against her.

She is facing two impeachment complaints of violating the constitution, betrayal of public trust, mishandling of government funds and other crimes including the death threats she made against Marcos.

The House has been investigating the alleged misuse of 612.5 million pesos ($10.3 million) of confidential and intelligence funds received by Duterte’s offices as vice president and education secretary. She has since left the education post.