Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte opted to let her lawyer submit a sworn statement to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) instead of personally appearing in response to corruption allegations by a former police officer.
The 15-page affidavit rejected the accusations of dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., who said he was the former head security of ex-Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, and also delivered gifts and suitcases of cash to the vice president and members of her family.
Gracioso said a number of hand-offs occurred in 2018 to 2020, totaling around ₱2 billion in cash supposedly received by the vice president.
Duterte denied the allegations, including a claim that Gracioso fetched her from a hangar in Pasay City or that she received chocolates from Velasco and his spouse.
“Mariin kong itinatanggi ang mga pahayag ni Rodulfo Mondigo Gracioso, Jr… na iniuugnay ako sa mga pangyayaring hindi ko ginawa, hindi ko nalalaman, o hindi ko personal na naranasan.” she stated in the affidavit.
[Translation: I firmly deny the statements of Rodulfo Mondigo Gracioso Jr.… that connect me to incidents that I did not do, I do not know, or I did not personally experience.]
Duterte also attached photos to her sworn statement to disprove the alleged cash delivery dates cited by Gracioso.
“Sa ngayon, of course, under investigation pa yata or fact-finding pa. So, aantayin pa rin namin kung meron silang (NBI) bagong ibibigay para masagot ng mabuti,” Duterte lawyer Clifford Chua said when asked about what the vice president’s camp expects next.
[Translation: For now, of course, it is under investigation or they are still fact-finding. So, we will wait if they will give us something new so we can properly respond.]
He said the legal team is considering pursuing a perjury case against Gracioso, but the move depends on the vice president.
