National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag has challenged Vice President Sara Duterte to disclose what she is referring to as his ‘conflict of interest’ regarding the bureau’s probe into the ‘cash delivery’ allegations of dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr.
Duterte, in a press conference earlier Tuesday, first challenged Matibag to file a case against Gracioso and then said that there’s an alleged conflict of interest involving the NBI director.
‘Bago ko ilabas yung conflict of interest ni Matibag, gusto kong makita kung totoo ba talagang professional siya na NBI director na kasuhan niya si Gracioso. Hindi man sa buong affidavit ni Gracioso kundi sa parte kung saan nagsinungaling si Gracioso laban sa akin,’ Duterte said.
(Before I bring up Matibag’s conflict of interest, I want to see if he is truly a professional NBI director who will file charges against Gracioso, even not in Gracioso’s entire affidavit but in the part where Gracioso lied against me.)
When asked for comment, Matibag said that it is hard for him to answer Duterte’s remark ‘because she didn’t say what the conflict of interest is referring to.’
‘Kung meron siyang nalalamang conflict of interest bilang bise presidente, responsible official, sabihin niya kung ano yung conflict of interest,’ Matibag said in an interview with reporters on Tuesday afternoon.
(If she knows of a conflict of interest as vice president, responsible official, she should say what the conflict of interest is.)
‘And if there is a possible violation ako ng batas, then I should be responsible,’ he emphasized.
(And if there is a possible violation of the law, then I should be responsible.)
Matibag likewise encouraged Duterte to submit the photographs she presented to the media during the press conference to the NBI for validation.
Among the photos the vice president showed were her supposed Holy Week activities in April 2019, which aimed to debunk Gracioso’s allegation that he delivered suitcases of cash to her in Marinduque during those times.
The NBI director noted that photos ‘can always be manipulated.’
‘Kaya nga even yung mga ibang larawan na pinirisinta na rin ni Gracioso, bina-validate namin, we have to authenticate, tinitingnan natin,’ Matibag said.
(That’s why even the other photos that Gracioso has already presented, we are validating them, we have to authenticate them, we are looking at them.)
‘So, if the vice-president will be willing at gusto niya talaga na ang NBI ay mag-investigate at gawin namin yung aming mandato, baka maaari ipadala niya yung mga larawan dito, mag-issue ng affidavit kung sino yung kumuha ng larawan at para ma-authenticate at ma-validate natin,’ he said.
(So, if the vice-president will be willing and really wants the NBI to investigate and for us to carry out our mandate, maybe he can send the photos here, issue an affidavit on who took the photos and for us to authenticate and validate them.)
He also reiterated that should the bureau prove that Gracioso is not telling the truth on his affidavit, they will not hesitate to file charges against him.
Gracioso is claiming to have delivered more than P2 billion to the vice president, as well as P1 billion to her father former President Rodrigo Duterte and P100 million to her brother Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte in tranches starting in 2018 upon the instructions of his former boss, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.