Sara Duterte’s lawyer promised to submit VP’s affidavit to NBI – Matibag

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s counsel made a commitment to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to appear on Thursday and submit the vice president’s affidavit, according to Director Melvin Matibag.

The affidavit Matibag mentioned is in response to the “cash delivery” allegations made by dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., implicating Duterte.

The vice president’s camp recently wrote to the NBI, requesting to reschedule the date of its investigative conference from last Monday, Oct. 5, to Thursday, Oct. 8.

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READ: Sara Duterte’s lawyers ask NBI to reset conference on Gracioso’s stories

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“There’s a commitment from the lawyer of Vice President Sara that they will submit an affidavit, so to speak,” Matibag told reporters in an interview on Wednesday.

“Maybe this is what she was reading during the press conference. She is arguing that ‘this is what happened,’ and showed some photos. So, we’ll look into that,” he said.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Duterte presented a series of photographs, including her supposed Holy Week activities in April 2019.

The vice president’s presentation was meant to debunk Gracioso’s allegation that he delivered suitcases of cash to her in Marinduque during those times.

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READ: Matibag dares Sara Duterte to reveal alleged ‘conflict of interest’

Matibag said that just like in Gracioso’s documents, the pieces of evidence that Duterte’s camp would present to the NBI will also be subjected to validation.

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Gracioso recently appeared at the NBI and submitted supposed “evidence,” including photos of himself with the vice president during the supposed “cash delivery” transactions.

The former police officer is saying that he had delivered over P2 billion suitcases of cash to the vice president, P1 billion to former President Rodrigo Duterte, and P100 million to Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte.

He said these deliveries were made in tranches starting in 2018, upon the instruction of his former boss, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

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Velasco also earlier released a statement, denying Gracioso’s allegations. /apl