QC court subpoenas former Pres. Duterte over grave threats

FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte was issued a subpoena by a Quezon City court, as it ordered him to personally submit his answer, with regards to the grave threat complaint that was slapped against him by House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list France Castro.

The former chief executive was ordered by the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City to personally submit his answer.

Courtesy: Senator Bong Go/Facebook

Penned by Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Ulric Badiola, the one-page subpoena tasked Duterte to submit his counter affidavit on December 4 and 11, both at 2:30 p.m.

“Under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Revised Charter of Quezon City and other existing laws, respondent [Duterte] is hereby commanded to appear before the Office of the City Prosecutor, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma Building (Department of Justice), Elliptical Road, Quezon City,” the subpoena read.

Courtesy: Senator Bong Go/Facebook

It also said that Duterte, during the same dates, is required to submit affidavit/s of his witnesses and supporting documents, if any.

“The counter-affidavit, together with the annexes and the affidavits of witness/es, should be in eight copies and should be subscribed and sworn to before me,” the subpoena added.

The  subpoena also said that the affiant/s should also submit a photocopy of their government-issued identification card as proof of their identity.

Earlier , Castro accused Duterte of grave threat as based on Duterte’s television interview in SMNI.

Duterte was quoted as saying: “Kayong mga komunista ang gusto kong patayin (It’s you communists whom I want to kill)” and “Sabi ko sa kanya [his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte],  magprangka ka na lang. Itong intelligence fund na ito gagamitin ko para sa utak ng mga Pilipino kasi ito ang target ko, kayong mga komunista andiyan sa Congress. Prangkahin mo na ‘yan si France Castro.”

The subpoena also asked the complainant Castro and her witnesses, to reaffirm the veracity and truthfulness of the allegations.

The statement was made before Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Badiola.

Likewise, Badiola said that no motion to dismiss will be entertained, and only counter-affidavits will be admitted.