President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over the 18th Cabinet Meeting at the Malacañan Palace on September 4, 2017. (MNS photo)
MANILA, Sept 7 (Mabuhay) –President Rodrigo Duterte will not meddle in the investigation involving his son, Davao Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and son-in-law, lawyer Manases Carpio.
Malacañang reiterated this on Thursday as the two attended the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing over the P6.4-billion shabu shipment which slipped past the Bureau of Customs.
“Today’s appearance of Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and Atty. Manases Carpio before the Senate blue ribbon committee demonstrates that both gentlemen are willing and ready to face malicious allegations intended to impugn their character and credibility,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
“The President has said in numerous occasions that he would not interfere and he believes that both gentlemen, Vice Mayor Duterte and Atty. Carpio, can hold their own at the Senate,” he added.
While both Vice Mayor Duterte and Carpio were mentioned at the previous Senate hearings, Customs fixer Mark Taguba had absolved them of any involvement in corruption activities at the BOC.
Duterte had repeatedly said that he would step down if any of his children are involved in corruption. (MNS)