MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio is considering filing a perjury complaint against dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. after formally denying allegations that he delivered billions of pesos in cash to her and members of her family.
Duterte-Carpio’s legal team submitted an affidavit to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday, challenging Gracioso’s sworn allegations and raising questions about the credibility of his claims.
Lawyer Clifford Chua, who filed the affidavit on behalf of the Vice President, said the document could serve as the basis for a possible perjury complaint against Gracioso.
However, Chua clarified that the decision to pursue legal action rests with Duterte-Carpio.
“Pero depende pa rin po iyan sa ating Bise Presidente,” he said.
The filing marks a new development in the controversy surrounding Gracioso’s allegations as the NBI continues evaluating his statements and supporting evidence.
Duterte-Carpio has repeatedly rejected claims that Gracioso personally delivered large sums of money, chocolates and expensive bags to her.
She questioned the plausibility of the alleged deliveries, citing the strict security arrangements surrounding her family since her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, assumed the presidency in 2016.
According to the Vice President, these security protocols would have made it difficult for Gracioso to gain direct access to her without passing through established security procedures.
She also challenged Gracioso’s claim that he had visited the Duterte family’s residence in Davao City, asserting that the dismissed police officer was unfamiliar with the property and did not even know what the house looked like.
Duterte-Carpio further suggested that the allegations could be connected to a financial dispute involving Gracioso and his former superior, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.
She previously presented a message exchange with Velasco to support her account of the circumstances surrounding the accusations.
During a press briefing Tuesday, the Vice President categorically denied the allegations contained in Gracioso’s sworn statement and subsequent media interviews.
“Mariin kong tinatanggi ang mga pahayag ni Rodulfo Mondigo Gracioso Jr. sa kaniyang sinumpaang salaysay at mga panayam sa media na iniuugnay ako sa mga pangyayaring hindi ko ginawa, hindi ko nalalaman, o hindi ko personal na naranasan,” she said.
Gracioso has alleged that he personally delivered cash to Duterte-Carpio and members of her family, accusations that the Vice President has consistently dismissed.
The submission of her affidavit provides NBI investigators with Duterte-Carpio’s formal rebuttal as they examine the conflicting accounts and determine whether the evidence warrants further legal action.
While her legal team has raised the possibility of pursuing a perjury case, no formal complaint against Gracioso has been announced.
The NBI investigation remains ongoing, with the truthfulness of Gracioso’s allegations and the evidence supporting them still subject to verification./PN
