THE government is considering the filing of sedition charges “or even graver offenses” against Vice President Sara Duterte over her death threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In a press conference on Monday, Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres said they now consider the Vice President as the “mastermind” of the criminal plot to assassinate the President, the First Lady and the Speaker of the House of Representatives following her admission that she hired an assassin to kill them in the event that she is killed.
Andres said the premeditated plot “as declared by the self-confessed mastermind” Duterte “will now face legal consequences.”
“Based on our initial study, sedition is a possibility. We are not closing our eyes on other obviously criminal offenses, even graver than sedition. But grave threats and sedition are obviously being considered,” Andres said.
According to Andres, they are eyeing conspiracy and have already enlisted various government agencies to look into the whereabouts and identity of the assassins supposedly hired by the Vice President.
Andres, however, clarified the DOJ is “not making that determination now” and asserted “due process warrants that every angle should be investigated” and “every party should be given an opportunity to be heard, and in due time in observance of due process.”
He said they will make the determination to file the appropriate case.
Andres reiterated the government will use all its resources and enforcers to identify the contract killer and determine the legal consequences arising from the criminal plot to take out the President, which he said, “will be dealt with the full force of the law.”
