MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) may file criminal charges for grave threat and inciting to sedition charges against Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte over his remarks threatening to take the head of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Director Melvin Matibag said Wednesday.
Matibag issued the statement in response to questions raised by Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson, who said the vice president and her mayor-brother have made similar threats against the president.
During the formal launch of the RAGE Coalition on April 12, 2026, Baste said: “We only need one head, the head of Bongbong Marcos!”
On the other hand, the Vice President said in a news conference in October 2024: “I want to remove his head off” and “I imagined myself cutting his head.”
Lacson asked Matibag why the NBI investigated Vice President Duterte but has not probed her mayor-brother.
Matibag said Mayor Duterte’s statement is covered by the wider inquiry being done by the special task force he created in April to look into the continuing and active threats against Marcos
However, he said the Davao City mayor may eventually face charges for grave threat and inciting to sedition.
“Eventually, we have an agreement within us na if we can establish that the elements for grave threat will be there, we are contemplating on filing a grave threat and inciting to sedition as well,” he said.
Matibag informed Lacson that his agency is also looking into a possible conspiracy to carry out the threats against the President, which he said is taking more time to establish.
"We are developing a theory based on conspiracy. We know that if we go to court using the theory of conspiracy, it is somewhat more difficult to build the case, which is why it is taking a long time to develop it," he said.
