The Philippine National Police (PNP) has expressed openness to Vice President Sara Duterte’s decision to pursue legal action against police officers for alleged disobedience, robbery, and kidnapping.
“It is anyone’s right to file a case, especially if they feel aggrieved,” PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief BGen. Nicolas Torre III stated during a briefing at Camp Crame. He added that the PNP would respond appropriately once the cases are officially filed.
The development follows complaints lodged by the PNP against Duterte, Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) chief Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, and other unidentified individuals for direct assault, disobedience, and grave coercion. The complaints stem from an incident involving the transfer of Duterte’s chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center to St. Luke’s Medical Center, allegedly without proper clearance.
According to Torre, video evidence shows Duterte’s security personnel pushing a police officer during the event, which he described as direct assault.
Vice President Duterte criticized the PNP for what she called “incompetence” in failing to detect threats against her safety. The PNP responded that it remains open to assisting the Presidential Security Command (PSC), the agency responsible for the security of the president and vice president, in investigating such threats if requested.
Further legal actions may be pursued against Duterte and the VPSPG, pending assessments by the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation.
