National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on Thursday, 15 October, dared Vice President Sara Duterte to file cases against him.
“Kung tingin po nila ako ay nagiging bias or meron akong maling ginagawa, file a case,” Matibag said during a radio interview.
(She should file a case if she thinks I am biased or have committed anything wrong.)
“Meron pong mga legal na pamamaraan na administratibo at kriminal po,” the NBI chief pointed out.
(There are legal means, either administrative or criminal, that are available.)
Matibag was responding to accusations made by the vice president’s camp that he is politically biased and has a conflict of interest in conducting the NBI investigation into claims made by dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr.
Gracioso alleged that, upon the instructions of former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, cash deliveries were made to certain personalities, including members of the Duterte family.
“Kung may pagsisinungalin silang alegasyon kay Gracioso then file a case,” Matibag also urged.
(If she alleges that Gracioso is lying then file a case.)
According to Gracioso, the money from Velasco was used to acquire numerous properties.
Matibag said the NBI had already submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) the results of its investigation into the properties of the vice president listed in her latest Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
The director said the NBI determined that the properties were undervalued and did not reflect their actual worth.
Although the vice president has denied owning some of the properties presented by Matibag to the media, the NBI chief said ownership had been confirmed based on copies of land titles, coordinates indicated in the documents, geotagging and statements from residents.
“Hindi naman po ako nagulat na itatanggi nila kasi ‘yun naman po ang natural na sasabihin,” he said.
(I am not surprised that she will deny that because that is the natural response to that.)
Meanwhile, Matibag said he would leave it to the OMB to continue looking into the NBI’s findings.
“Kung meron pa pong iuutos sa amin, gagawin po namin,” the director said.
(If the OMB gives us other orders, we will do it.)
In the meantime, the NBI chief said, “kami po rin tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ang paghahanap namin.”
(We will continue to look into the properties.)
Matibag claimed that the Duterte family owns more than 100 properties, including 24 allegedly owned by the vice president.
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