Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 24) – ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro filed on Tuesday a grave threat complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte over death threats he made against the lawmaker.
The complaint filed before the Quezon City Prosecutors Office seeks to address the threats made by the former president during a television interview regarding the request of his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte for confidential funds, which Castro has strongly opposed.
“Kinikilala natin yung freedom of speech. Pero sobra na ito. Sa national TV, sa social media ay magbabanta sa buhay ng isang tao o isang mamamayan,” Castro told reporters.
[Translation: We acknowledge the freedom of speech, but this is too much. He threatened the life of a person or a citizen on national TV, on social media.]
According to Castro’s lawyer Tony La Vina, Duterte could face a jail term for up to six years and pay a fine of up to ₱100,000 if he is found guilty in the case filed in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
“Hindi ito tungkol sa particular penalty. Bahala na ang judge doon. This is about accountability,” said La Vina. “President Duterte has gotten away with so many things when he was president kasi may immunity siya from suit.”
[Translation: This is not about a particular penalty. It is all up to the judge. This is about accountability. President Duterte has gotten away with so many things when he was president because he has immunity from suit.]
\”This is the first time we’re holding President Duterte accountable for his actions in a Philippine court,\” he added.
Castro earlier told CNN Philippines that the elder Duterte should desist from threatening her as she is only doing her job in scrutinizing the national budget.
READ: ‘Dapat matigil ang pagbabanta:’ Castro to file complaint vs. ex-Pres. Duterte on Oct. 24
During his interview on Sonshine Media Network International earlier this month, the former president red-tagged the lawmaker and the rest of the Makabayan bloc, and said the first target of his daughter’s proposed secret funds should be Castro.
“Ikaw France, kayong mga Komunista ang gusto kong patayin [ You France, you communists, are the ones I want to kill],” he said.
The video of the interview has been removed from Youtube but a copy may still be viewed in other pages.
“Duterte’s grave threats, and the fact of their continued spread even until today, present dangers to my life, liberty, and security,” Castro said in the complaint. “With that knowledge, I now live in constant fear that I will be a victim of such extrajudicial killing, forced disappearance, illegal arrest or detention that he repeatedly admitted having perpetrated in the past.”
