Duterte remarks vs Marcos ‘not threats in the first place’
The defense team for Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte argues that her remarks about contracting individuals to kill the President and other officials were not actual threats. The prosecution maintains that the statements constitute grave threats regardless of whether the targets felt personally endangered.
Why it matters
This legal battle tests the boundaries of political speech and the definition of 'grave threats' within the Philippine judicial system.
MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team asserted on Tuesday that the remarks she made on contracting an individual to take down President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez are "not threats in the first place."
Defense counsel Mark Vinluan made the characterization when Senator-judge Pia Cayetano asked all parties, including the prosecution's witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc, how they interpreted grave threats.
"It is our position that the statements made by the vice president were not threats in the first place. That's why we were categorizing it as a response, a mere response, to a Q&A (question and answer)," Vinluan said.
READ: VP threats vs Marcos 'serious, real' - NBI exec
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