FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte may be liable and could be charged for grave threat after making threats against ACT-Teachers party-list Rep. Francisca "France" Castro in his program on SMNI News, according to the chairman of the Makabayan bloc.
In his "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa" program last October 10, Duterte defended his daughter, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, over the use of confidential funds in both the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, noting that it would be used for the creation of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program.
The former president added that Sara intends to use the intelligence fund to "target the communists in Congress."
"Pero ang unang target sa intelligence fund mo, kayo! Ikaw France, kayong mga komunista ang gusto kong patayin. Sabihin mo na sa kanya (The primary target of the intelligence funds should be France [Castro], the communists that I want to kill, tell that to her)," Duterte said.
In a statement, Makabayan leader Neri Colmenares said that a threat delivered on national television "should not be ignored and must be called out. Duterte's red-tagging and threats to activists and the opposition must be stopped."
"At the very least, what Duterte did is tantamount to grave threats, which is a crime committed by a person who shall threaten another with the infliction upon the person or of his family of any wrong amounting to a crime," Colmenares said.
He cited Parea vs People of the Philippines, which said that the felony of grave threat is already consummated as soon as the threats come to the knowledge of the people threatened.
Colmenares, the concurrent Bayan Muna chairman, also said that Duterte is "endangering the lives of people" for questioning the illegal confidential funds of his daughter in 2022.
"He is truly allergic to transparency and accountability. Now, he is threatening Congress so that his daughter can get more confidential funds," Colmenares added.
The former party-list representative said that the threats made by Duterte are a "threat" against those who questioned the confidential funds both in the House and Senate, and including those outside Congress.
"The public has the right to know where their public funds are spent. To threaten those who criticize wanton spending of public funds in 11 days is vintage Duterte, who is intolerant of dissent and criticism," Colmenares added.
He called on the House of Representatives leadership to "take action and defend members and the [chamber]" from the attack from the Duterte camp.
He also noted that SMNI, knowing there will be charges against them, took down the video of the former leader from YouTube.
Colmenares pointed out that it was the House leadership that decided to cut the funds of his (Duterte's) daughter, and questioned why the former leader threatened the Makabayan bloc.
"Gusto ni Duterte siya lang ang may karapatan bumira pero 'pag siya na naki-criticize nagagalit siya. Takot siyang bumangga sa mga Marcos? Matapang lang si Duterte 'pag mahirap ang kalaban niya (Duterte only wants to criticize others but gets irritated if he is criticized. Is he scared of crossing the Marcoses? Duterte is only tough against powerless critics)," Colmenares said.