Marcos’ trust in AFP ‘intact’ amid Sara kill threat – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — The military still enjoys President Marcos’ trust even if the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had raised the possibility that the hitman allegedly hired by Vice President Sara Duterte to kill him is a soldier, Malacañang said yesterday.

During hearing on the impeachment complaints against the Vice President last Wednesday, NBI chief Melvin Matibag said it is possible that a military man was tapped to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos and former House speaker Martin Romualdez since the members of Duterte’s security group are active members of the armed forces.

The alleged plot to assassinate the First Couple and Romualdez was among the allegations cited in the impeachment complaints against Duterte, a former close ally-turned-arch critic of the administration.

“With regard to the members of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), the President’s trust in them remains intact,” Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a briefing.

Castro said the NBI should just be allowed to conduct its probe into the matter, saying there is no need to provide details about its operations.

On Wednesday, the House justice committee found probable cause to impeach Duterte, a move that will bring the complaints against her to the plenary for voting and opened the possibility of a trial in the Senate.

Asked to react to the development, Castro said: “That is the job of Congress...They have seen through their hearings that there is evidence so their decision is based on what they saw.”