VP Sara should file case if she thinks Gracioso is lying —Matibag

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on Thursday said that Vice President Sara Duterte should file a case if she believes that dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. is lying or that he is biased

“Kung may pagsisinungaling silang alegasyon kay Gracioso then file a case. Kung tingin nila ako ay nagiging bias or may mali akong ginagawa, file a case,” he said on Super Radyo dzBB.

(If they have false allegations against Gracioso, then file a case. If they think I am becoming biased or that I am doing something wrong, file a case.)

“Pero 'yung dudulog ka sa media, you will make an appeal on the emotion ng mga tao, magbibigay ng impormasyon na sasakyan ng mga troll para 'yun 'yung gawing atake, hindi 'yun ang katanggap-tanggap na behavior dapat,” he added.

(But if you go to the media, you will appeal to the emotions of the people, provide information that trolls will latch onto to use as an attack; that is not acceptable behavior.)

To recall, Gracioso alleged that he delivered cash to the vice president, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte, and former President Rodrigo Duterte on former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s instructions.

She has denied the allegations against her.

Matibag, meanwhile, said that the focus should now be on her alleged “underdeclared” properties.
This comes amid the NBI’s probe into the real properties listed in the vice president’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).

“We are way beyond the affidavit of Gracioso,” he said.

“Ang tanong na ngayon, ano ba itong mga properties na ito. Dineklara mo sa SALN, bakit underdeclared, tapos ngayon sasabihin, hindi ikaw yung may-ari,” he added.

(The question now is, what are these properties? You declared them in your SALN, so why were they underdeclared? Then now you’re saying you’re not the owner.)

Matibag said the investigation has been referred to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Meanwhile, Matibag addressed allegations by Duterte that the NBI was defending Gracioso.

“Well, to a certain extent na sasabihin pinoprotektahan, lahat ng tao, kailangan namin proteksyonan. Pero ano ba yung ibig sabihin ng pinoproteksyunan? Hindi na si Gracioso yung usapan dito, pinag-usapan natin dito, yung mga ari-arian,” Matibag said.

(Well, to a certain extent, when we are saying protection, we need to protect all people. But what does protection even mean? We are not just talking about Gracioso here, but the properties.) —LDF, GMA News