Politics · Philippines Bureau
Duterte camp denounces NBI property probe as political persecution
Vice President Sara Duterte's supporters on Friday dismissed a National Bureau of Investigation inquiry into her property declarations as a politically motivated attack by the Marcos administration. The camp characterized the NBI's findings as a "shameless smear campaign."
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The office of Vice President Sara Duterte rejected accusations of property misdeclaration on Friday, with her spokesperson Salvador Paolo A. Panelo Jr. arguing that the National Bureau of Investigation's investigation represents political persecution rather than legitimate law enforcement.
Panelo Jr. questioned the decision by NBI Director Melvin Matibag to proceed with the property-related inquiry, characterizing the bureau's actions as part of what he described as a broader pattern of harassment by the Marcos administration.
The dispute centers on allegations that Duterte failed to accurately declare certain properties in official records. Her camp has maintained that any discrepancies are administrative in nature and have denied any intentional wrongdoing.
The investigation marks an escalation in tensions between Duterte and the administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., following months of public criticism and political confrontation between the two offices.