DOJ eyes grave threats, sedition raps, disbarment vs VP

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte may face charges of grave threats and sedition over her assassination remarks against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez, according to the Department of Justice.

DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres pointed out that unlike the President, the Vice President is not immune from suit and Duterte can be subjected to any criminal and administrative case.

With Duterte’s remarks, Andres said sedition and grave threats complaints are being considered against her, although the DOJ is “not making that determination now.”

“We are not closing our eyes on other possible criminal offenses, even graver than sedition. Grave threats and sedition are obviously being considered… Due process warrants that every angle should be investigated, every party should be given the opportunity to be heard and in due time, in observance of due process, we will make that determination to file the appropriate case,” he said.

Andres said Duterte may also face possible preventive suspension while the government’s investigation is ongoing, but this is within the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman whose duty is “to discipline and to take necessary measures to deliver on its mandate as investigator of high-ranking government officials.”

“All of us are governed by the rule of law. No one is above the law. If there is a need to exact justice for a criminal act, then it has to be through the legal and judicial process. We cannot take the law into our own hands. No one should espouse that kind of thinking. I strongly believe that exposes her to criminal liabilities,” he said.

Among the array of possible legal hurdles against Duterte, who is a lawyer, is a disbarment complaint, according to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime Santiago.

A possible ground for this is when Duterte acted as counsel for her chief of staff Zuleika Lopez. Santiago, a retired trial court judge, said this is prohibited under the Constitution as public officials are barred from practicing their profession while holding office.

Prosecutor general Richard Anthony Fadullon said all angles and all possible cases are being