Sara Duterte camp: NBI probe another persecution

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday accused the Marcos administration of using the National Bureau of Investigation to persecute her politically, even branding the bureau’s findings on her alleged misdeclared properties a “shameless smear campaign.”

Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Paolo A. Panelo Jr. questioned NBI Director Melvin Matibag’s decision to publicize the alleged discrepancies in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) before formally informing her of the charges and giving her an opportunity to respond.

“The series of press conferences by NBI Director Melvin Matibag on supposed discrepancies in properties declared in the Vice President’s SALN is just the latest example of the Marcos administration’s weaponization of government institutions for political persecution,” Panelo said.

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He criticized Matibag for turning over the NBI’s report to the Office of the Ombudsman after publicizing its findings, instead of first allowing Duterte to answer the allegations.

Panelo claimed that the move was intended to avoid a thorough rebuttal from the Vice President, who he said had previously refuted Matibag’s allegations involving NBI witness Rodulfo Gracioso.

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“That is not the work of a fair and impartial investigative body. That is a shameless smear campaign against the Vice President using public funds, headlined by a man with a documented conflict of interest against her,” he said.

Excluded from VP trial

Panelo also questioned why the NBI’s findings were not presented by the prosecution in Duterte’s ongoing impeachment trial, where allegations involving her wealth and SALN declarations are at issue.

“If the NBI’s findings were truly credible or reliable, then why were they excluded by the prosecution in the impeachment trial where alleged undeclared or misdeclared properties in the Vice President’s SALN are precisely at issue,” he said.

Panelo argued that the impeachment proceedings would allow the bureau’s findings to be authenticated, challenged and rebutted by the defense.

His remarks came as the NBI on Thursday disclosed alleged discrepancies involving properties in Davao City, Parañaque City and Samal, Davao del Norte, supposedly linked to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.

Among those cited by Matibag were a Davao Prime Bistro property with a reported acquisition cost of P10 million and a property in Parañaque City that he said was worth P14.4 million based on the bureau’s assessment.

Matibag said the three additional properties were included in a 78-page report referred to the Office of the Ombudsman last Tuesday.

Duterte has denied owning the properties and accused the investigation of being intended to derail her anticipated presidential bid in the 2028 elections. Her camp had also earlier questioned Matibag’s impartiality.

In Friday’s statement, Panelo maintained that Duterte had correctly declared all her assets and liabilities in her SALNs.

“The Vice President maintains that she declared all her assets and liabilities in her SALN correctly and in good faith, and all allegations to the contrary are false,” he said.

According to Panelo, Duterte was confident she could prove her position during the impeachment trial and, if necessary, before the Ombudsman once she received formal notice of the allegations.