VICE President Sara Duterte will skip the Oct. 5 conference set by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to address allegations that she received P2 billion in kickbacks, but her lawyers requested a reschedule to Oct. 8, once they receive the sworn statement containing these charges.
The vice president’s counsel Paul Lawrence Lim said the NBI invitation did not include the affidavit submitted by dismissed police officer Rodulfo M. Gracioso Jr., who said he personally delivered more than P2 billion in cash over three years, from 2018 to 2020, to Duterte, when she was still mayor of Davao City.
“The vice president received the NBI’s invitation for her to attend a conference on Mr. Rodulfo M. Gracioso, Jr.’s allegations,” Lim said in a statement.
“However, since no official copy of Mr. Gracioso’s affidavit was included with the invitation, we have requested the NBI for a faithful copy thereof and all its supporting documents, if any,” he added.
The request followed an NBI letter dated Sept. 30 addressed to Duterte, which said the bureau was conducting an ongoing investigation into Gracioso’s allegations and sought the vice president’s statements, documents and records that could help clarify the issues under investigation.
Duterte’s lawyers said the NBI letter referred to an attached copy of Gracioso’s sworn affidavit, but no such document was included.
“Consequently, our client cannot provide any meaningful reply to your request at this time,” the lawyers said in their letter to NBI Director Melvin Matibag.
They asked the bureau to provide a clear and faithful copy of Gracioso’s sworn statement, all attachments and any supporting evidence he submitted, saying these would allow Duterte to prepare a response and determine what other action to take.
The NBI had set the conference for Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. Duterte’s lawyers said neither the vice president nor her counsel could appear on that date and requested that the conference be moved to Oct. 8 at 10 a.m., assuming the requested documents are provided in time for them to review them.
The bureau’s invitation came after Gracioso made allegations involving Duterte and other members of her family in his sworn statement.
Gracioso, a former police officer who served as part of former speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s security detail, alleged that he delivered suitcases containing cash to members of the Duterte family on Velasco’s instructions.
He claimed that the deliveries to Duterte totaled more than P2 billion.
Duterte has denied knowing Gracioso and receiving money from him.
The NBI has said it would obtain the responses of the personalities named in Gracioso’s affidavit as part of its investigation.
“Once received, the vice president will take appropriate action thereon in due course,” Lim said.
