ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro on Tuesday, Oct. 24 filed a criminal complaint against former president Rodrigo Duterte over the "malicious threats" he had utterred against her.
In a brief statement posted on its official Facebook page, ACT Teachers party-list said Castro filed the "grave threats" case before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office.
"Ang sinampang kaso ay alinsunod sa Article 282 ng Revised Penal Code bilang tugon sa mga malisyosong pagbabanta ng dating presidente kay Rep. France Castro," it added.
Based on the photo, Gabriela Women's party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, lawyers Rico Domingo and Tony La Viña, and other volunteer lawyers accompanied Castro during the case filing.
In an interview with reporters, Castro mentioned that the former president must be held accountable for his "grave threat" during a televised interview aired last Oct. 11.
"Nag-file kami ng kaso laban kay dating presidente Rodrigo Duterte. Ito yung grave threat para panagutin si dating presidente Rodrigo Duterte sa kaniyang malubhang pagbabanta sa aking buhay sa programa niya noong nakaraang October 11 sa isang istasyon," she said.
"Wala na siyang immunity, kailangan na niyang harapin ang kaso. Hindi na niya magagamit yung immunity," the House solon added.
Castro said she was deeply hurt by Duterte's death threat as she received it during the time she was grieving for her father's death.
"Talagang na-shock ako sa ginawang threat ni dating Presidente sa aking buhay. Ito nga, doubleng sakit ang naramdaman ko yun nung time na 'yon," she lamented.
The House solon said she appreciated the lower house's gesture of showing support to her and ensuring her security.
Last Oct. 14, House political party leaders issued a joint statement calling Duterte to “avoid making threats or insinuating harm” against members of Congress and or the insitution itself.
The call comes after the former president threatened to harm Castro in an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy during a program in Sonshine Media Network International.
According to Duterte, the intelligence fund would be utilize to target "communists" like the House lawmaker.
“Pero ang unang target sa intelligence fund mo kayo! Ikaw France, kayong mga komunista ang gusto kong patayin,” he uttered during the program.
