NBI affidavit recommends charges vs. VP Sara for grave threat, sedition

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has recommended the filing of three counts of grave threat and one count of inciting to sedition against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The recommendations were found in a copy of its affidavit of investigation obtained by GMA News from party-list Representative Terry Ridon, according to a "24 Oras" report by Tina Panganiban-Perez.

The report said the NBI did not accept Duterte’s reasoning that her threat to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House speaker Martin Romualdez in case of her death was conditional.

The NBI said that Duterte’s remarks were made in a clear context and were firm in their threat.

“Considering the context when these statements were expressed, there is a clear intention on the part of Vice President Duterte to intimidate and convey a serious threat to the recipients of her statements,” the affidavit read.

Meanwhile, the NBI recommended filing a charge of inciting to sedition against Duterte over remarks made during her November 2024 online press conference, as well as an earlier October 2024 briefing in which she said she had once considered decapitating the President.

“As the Vice President of the Philippines, she could easily arouse a sense of dissatisfaction against the duly constituted authorities when she portrayed to the public that the government is run by corrupt and incompetent officials,” the affidavit said.

“Taken in its entirety and considering the simple and plain language used, VP Duterte tends to incite and stir up the hearers to overthrow the organized government by unlawful means, to disturb the public peace and the safety and order of the government,” it added.

Members of the House Committee on Justice said that the affidavit shall serve as a heavy piece of evidence against Duterte in her impeachment hearings.

GMA News has reached out to the Office of the Vice President for comment. —Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/LDF, GMA News