Sara Duterte Calls Paolo’s Legal Trouble a Political Tactic by the Marcos Administration
SARA DUTERTE – Vice President Sara Duterte dismissed the legal complaint against her brother Paolo as part of a larger political strategy by the Marcos administration to undermine their family.
Sara Duterte has dismissed the criminal complaint filed against her brother, Davao City Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, as nothing more than a political ploy orchestrated by the Marcos administration. The complaint, which involves allegations of physical injuries and grave threats, was filed by a businessman who accused Pulong of assaulting him with a knife and beating him for nearly two hours at a Davao City bar on February 23.
Speaking in Zamboanga City on Saturday, Vice President Duterte said the administration is using such cases to divert public attention from more pressing national issues. “Every time nagkakaroon sila ng issue, malaking issue na kabalbalan na ginagawa nila, ang kanilang pang-cover sa mga issue na ito ay atakihin ‘yung kalaban nila sa politika,” she said in an ambush interview.
Duterte added that she has yet to speak with her brother regarding the matter and is unsure whether their father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been informed. The former president is currently detained at Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, facing charges of crimes against humanity linked to extrajudicial killings during his controversial war on drugs.
The Department of Justice is currently reviewing the complaint, which cites violations of Article 265 (Slight Physical Injuries) and Article 282 (Grave Threats) of the Revised Penal Code. The complainant detailed in a sworn affidavit that Pulong allegedly threatened him with a knife before physically assaulting him.
According to the report, Pulong Duterte has not issued a formal response to the allegations but addressed the public in a Facebook video, stating in Cebuano: “Sa mga kapatid kong Davaoeño, ngayon may nakita na naman kayong video. Matagal-tagal na itong nangyari. Ah sige lang, nasa sa inyo pa rin ang desisyon kung sino ang inyong ibobotong congressman sa unang distrito. ‘Di ako makikialam.”
As of writing, Malacañang has not released a statement. The Duterte family remains a powerful political force, and this latest controversy only adds fuel to the ongoing political tension between their camp and the Marcos administration.
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