MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s lawyers moved to quash the grave threats information filed against their client, citing lack of jurisdiction.
In a statement Thursday, Paul Lawrence Lim, counsel for Duterte in the National Bureau of Investigation grave threats cases, confirmed the filing of the motion.
“We confirm having filed a motion to quash the Grave Threats Information filed against the Vice President, on the ground of lack of jurisdiction,” Lim said.
He declined to discuss the arguments in the motion, citing the case’s status as sub judice.
“As lawyers bound by our Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, however, we cannot give any further discussion on this matter that is now sub judice,” he said.
The motion puts the jurisdiction of the Quezon City court at the center of the case before the court can proceed to the merits of the grave threats allegations.
Prosecutor General Richard Fadullion confirmed that the National Prosecution Service issued a resolution in the case and that the informations had been filed before the Quezon City courts.
Fadullion said the court has received motions to quash from the defense and gave prosecutors five days to file their comment.
The prosecution had yet to receive its copy of Duterte’s motion as of Thursday but was expecting to obtain it before the end of the week, Fadullion said.
“We will be filing our comment forthwith,” he said.
Fadullion stressed that the next step would depend on how the Quezon City court resolves the defense motion.
