FALSE: NBI to file disbarment case against VP Sara Duterte

A Facebook post circulating online claims that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to file a disbarment case against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), allegedly following her remarks expressing distrust in the courts and the police. 

CLAIM:

The post claims that:

• The NBI is set to file a disbarment case against Vice President Sara Duterte before the IBP.
• NBI-NCR Director Atty. Emeterio A. Dongallo Jr. said the case would be filed against Duterte.
• The filing would follow Duterte’s appearance before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to post bail for three counts of grave threats.
• Duterte’s statements that she does not trust the courts and the police prompted the supposed disbarment case.

RATING: FALSE

CONCLUSION:
The claim is false. The NBI denied that it would file a disbarment case against Vice President Sara Duterte over her statements about the courts and police. While Duterte did appear before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court and expressed distrust in the police and courts, these statements did not result in a disbarment case being filed by the NBI.

THE FACTS: 

• The NBI denied that it was seeking Duterte’s disbarment. DZRH reported that the bureau rejected claims that it planned to file a disbarment case against Duterte after she expressed distrust in the courts.
• Duterte did make the remarks cited in the post. During her recent court proceedings, Duterte expressed a lack of trust in the police and the courts. However, the NBI’s denial shows that these remarks did not result in the disbarment case described in the viral post.
• The claim wrongly presents a supposed NBI action as an established filing. There is no basis for the post’s claim that NBI-NCR Director Emeterio Dongallo Jr. was set to file a disbarment complaint against Duterte. The NBI itself denied pursuing such a case.
• There was an actual NBI disbarment complaint, but it did not involve Duterte. The NBI separately pursued disbarment proceedings against former lawmaker Jacinto “Jing” Paras and four lawyers.

THE BOTTOMLINE:

The claim that the NBI is set to file a disbarment case against Vice President Sara Duterte is false. The NBI has denied seeking her disbarment.