Former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo has dismissed the grave threats and inciting to sedition charges against Vice President Sara Duterte as baseless and politically motivated.
Panelo, a known ally of the Duterte family, criticized the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for pursuing the case, urging them to focus on apprehending real criminals instead.
“The NBI should instead focus on stopping criminals from committing crimes or filing charges against them instead of harassing VP Sara with ludicrous and baseless criminal complaints. It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said.
The charges stem from Duterte’s controversial statement last year, where she allegedly ordered someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were also assassinated. Duterte has previously maintained that her remarks were taken out of context.
