DOJ to continue probe on VP Sara’s ‘shocking rant’

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (Photo: Boying Remulla/Facebook)

By Benjamin Pulta, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday said it will continue its investigation on the possible liability on the part of Vice President Sara Duterte arising from her threat against the remains of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.

In a media interview, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stood by his earlier statements that he finds Duterte’s threat to exhume the remains of the former president and throw them into the West Philippine Sea “shocking” and “disturbing.”

“Ang sabi ko nga kahapon (Like I said yesterday), this is very disturbing. We’re studying the possibility of filing cases based on criminal acts. The most important point about this is probably how shockingly disturbing such statements coming from somebody who has held the position of Secretary of education,” Remulla commented.

“How can we entrust our youth to such a person who can utter such words and reflect such thoughts that are against human decency and good behavior? I think it’s just shocking, and we’ll just leave it at that and I think we all know the score, of what kind of vice president we have… how seemingly unstable her mind can be… and this country does not deserve a future with the kind of person like this,” he added.

He said the justification made by Duterte’s camp that her statements should not be taken literally is unacceptable.

“The threat to commit a crime is not a crime itself. But sometimes it can be, like if the threat is murder, it’s grave threats. But in this case, we have to study it properly. That is something shocking to human senses… parang di tayo maniwala na walang (we cannot believe that there is no) crime, that’s why we’re still studying it,” Remulla said