Palace: Marcos fully trusts active members of AFP

Malacañang said Thursday that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. fully trusts the active members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). 

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked for comment about the revelation of the National Bureau of Investigation that the alleged hitman of Vice President Sara Duterte was among her 500-man security detail.

''Sa mga aktibong miyembro po ng AFP, ang tiwala po ng Pangulo ay buong-buo. Kung sino man po ito na nasasabi po ngayon ng NBI Director, Atty. Matibag, na maaaring parte ng security ng Bise Presidente, hayaan na lamang  po natin silang magtrabaho, dahil baka po, hindi kinakailangan lang i-detalye kung ano po ang kanilang in-operate,'' Castro said.

(To the active members of the AFP, the President trusts you. Let's just allow agencies to work on the information about the assassin that could be part of the Vice President's security detail.) 

The NBI is probing the identity of a hitman allegedly contracted by the Vice President for an assassination plot against the President. NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the agency already has a lead on the hired assassin.

Duterte's security detail included active and former members of the AFP, the NBI said.

'Probable cause'

Meanwhile, when asked about the House committee on justice finding probable cause to impeach Duterte based on two impeachment complaints filed against her, Castro said that's the job of Congress.

''Iyan po ay trabaho ng Kongreso, kung nakita po natin ang boto, dahil nakita naman nila sa pamamagitan ng kanilang hearing na naganap, at may mga ebidensiyang naipakita, so ang pagdedesisyon nila ay naaayon naman sa kanilang mga nasaksihan,'' she said.

(That's the work of Congress. We can say that the decision was based on the evidences presented during the hearing.) 

The House panel moved to consolidate the two verified complaints under one Articles of Impeachment. It will also now produce a committee report to be furnished to Duterte, the complainants and the members of the committee.

The hearings will continue on May 4 at 10 a.m. at the People’s Center. — RSJ, GMA News