6-12-2023 (MANILA) Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been accused by Congresswoman France Castro of making repeated threats on her life. Castro filed a “supplemental” criminal complaint with prosecutors in Manila, alleging that Duterte had threatened her for a second time.
Both Castro and Duterte were summoned to the prosecutor’s office on Monday to present witnesses and supporting documents related to Castro’s initial complaint filed on October 24.
Castro claims that Duterte made “grave threats” against her during an interview with local broadcaster SMNI on October 10, violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act. She further alleges that Duterte threatened her life again during a subsequent interview with the same broadcaster on November 16.
In the transcript of the November 16 interview submitted to the prosecutor, Duterte discussed the ongoing insurgency by communist rebels. He stated, “So you, France, how do you solve the problem now? So that’s my statement, communists should be killed, you should be included.”
Although Duterte did not appear at the prosecutor’s office, two of his lawyers were present, according to Castro. There has been no immediate comment from Duterte or his legal representatives regarding Castro’s latest accusation. Salvador Panelo, Duterte’s former chief presidential legal counsel, stated that Duterte had not received a subpoena to attend Monday’s preliminary investigation.
The prosecutor will assess whether there is sufficient evidence to bring charges against Duterte in court. While Duterte was protected from prosecution during his presidential term from 2016 to 2022, he can now face charges for alleged crimes committed as a private citizen within the Philippines. Throughout his presidency, Duterte frequently made threats to kill individuals and often labeled critics as communist sympathizers, a practice commonly referred to as “red-tagging.” This practice sometimes resulted in the arrest, detention, or even death of those targeted.
