Duterte won't leave country, to face cases against her
By Robina Asido
Vice President Sara Duterte assures that she will not hide or leave the country in case she will be arrested if authorities will charge her for violating the anti-terrorism law and plunder.
Duterte said there is a possibility that non-bailable charges might be filed against her.
"No, I do not plan to leave the country, or I do not plan to hide if there will be a warrant of arrest mainly because my children are here, so if I detained, I want to be able to see my children. So I have no plans of doing that. I have no plans of leaving the country to hide," she told reporters in an interview in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday.
Duterte who skipped another National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) investigation on Wednesday to attend the Office of the Vice President's thanksgiving event with the media said that based on the subpoena, she will be investigated for grave threats and violation of anti-terrorism law.
"That is why I just decided not to go to the NBI because clearly the pronouncements of the President and the undersecretary of (Department of Justice) DOJ point to cases to be filed," she said.
The NBI conducted their inquiry following Duterte's remarks about contacting an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she will get killed.
Aside from anti-terrorism law, a lawmaker also eyeing filing a plunder case against Duterte for the alleged misuse of confidential funds of the OVP and the Department of Education which is the basis of the impeachment cases filed against her.
Two impeachment cases were filed against her at the House of Representatives last week. A third impeachment case may be filed soon, said Duterte.
Duterte said that her office is preparing for the impeachment cases as she expressed confidence that the cases filed against her are not an impeachable offenses.
"Very recently, we had a meeting with the lawyers, and what was discussed there was the arrangements because we needed more lawyers. We are expecting another impeachment case. So this may be three impeachment cases. And then we will await an official copy of the articles of impeachment so that they can prepare the defense," she said.
"No, we're not confident with numbers, because impeachment is a legal process and a political activity. So we are confident with the legal aspects of the impeachment, because all the lawyers that I asked to review the initial drafts of the impeachment complaint, this is not an impeachable offense, and this is not an actionable offense," she added.
Amid the investigations, possible filing of charges and impeachment cases against her, Duterte said that she has accepted what lies ahead.
"I'm at peace. I already accepted that whatever happen to me that will be God's purpose for my life so I'm at peace staying and finishing my term because that is my contract with the Filipino people and I'm at peace going if I will be removed from office," she said. Robina Asido/DMS
