Lawmaker sues Duterte over death threat

MANILA - Representative France Castro filed a criminal complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office. 

Representative France Castro poses with her lawyers. The lawmaker sued former president Rodrigo Duterte for allegedly threatening her during a television program in Davao City. (Photo courtesy of Teddy Casiño)

Duterte was accused of threatening the lawmaker and other members of the so-called Makabayan bloc during a recent television program in Davao City. 

"Na-shock talaga ako sa threat sa aking buhay ni former President Duterte. Tingin natin hinggil ito sa pagbusisi natin sa confidential funds na nagbunga ng pagtatanggal ng confidential funds ng iba’t ibang ahensiya,” Castro said. 

Castro filed a complaint of Grave Threat under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code and Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 for the statements he made over a television program at Sonshine Media Network International where he talked about the confidential fund of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte. 

Duterte said: “I told Inday (Sara) to be direct, tell them that the intelligence fund is meant to prepare the minds of the Filipinos, to address the insurgency that is taking a long time to end. And the ROTC so that we are prepared for war, especially in this situation, if we do not have soldiers, then we will have the youth who can take care of their respective barangays.” 

“But your first target there, using your intelligence funds, is you, France, you communists who I want to kill. I asked her to tell them that, but she refused, saying, ‘You know Pa, if I did that, they might harass the PMTs (Philippine Military Training institutions),’” he added. 

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, which Duterte previously accused of being a communist front, said it stands with Castro in pushing back against the former Filipino leader.

“The criminal complaint against Duterte serves as a warning to him, his apologists, and other notorious red-taggers in the Marcos Jr administration that activists and members of people’s organizations are ready to challenge their illegal acts by organizing protests and even the filing of cases in courts,” it said. 

“Duterte and his ilk seek to deter criticism by bullying and using shock and awe tactics to normalize fear. They failed to silence activists; and the decision of Rep Castro to pursue a legal action is proof that instead of being intimidated, the people’s movement is ready to fight back,” it added. 

Duterte’s son, Rep. Paolo Duterte, in reaction to Castro’s complaint, said public servants should not be onion-skinned. “We all have the right to file a complaint against anyone in court. But public servants should not be onion-skinned and should not make use of this right as a tool to silence critics,” he said in a statement.

“As public servants, we all are under scrutiny by the Filipino people. If the former President has said something that threatened her, then maybe she should come out clean. 'Di yung nagtatago tayo sa likod ng so-called "right" na ito. As a Congressman myself, madami din akong alam sa maka-kaliwang mga Party-list Representatives. Tigilan na lang natin ang ka-dramahan at pagpapa-media,” he added. (Mindanao Examiner, The Star)