The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have taken differing stances on the controversial remarks made by former President Rodrigo Duterte, in which he allegedly joked about eliminating 15 senators to secure victory for PDP Laban candidates in the 2025 senatorial elections.

On February 16, 2025, PNP-CIDG Head Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III filed a sedition complaint against Duterte with the Department of Justice (DOJ), citing the seriousness of the remarks and the importance of upholding accountability under the administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign.

“This is the reason why our country was in a mess for six years. Up to now, we are still a mess because of all the killings. If we take their word for it, they will simply say it was just a joke or claim it was a legal opinion. That is already too much,” Torre said.

However, NBI Director Jaime Santiago announced that his agency would not pursue charges, stating that Duterte’s comments were “political propaganda and rhetoric.” Santiago noted that no senator had filed a formal complaint and that Duterte had a history of making provocative remarks that were widely interpreted as satirical.

Santiago emphasized that, absent a formal complaint or evidence of actual threats, the NBI does not see sufficient grounds to proceed with legal action.

This development highlights the divide in legal interpretation and response to Duterte’s remarks, revealing contrasting approaches between government agencies on matters of speech, accountability, and political responsibility.