House Prosecutor and Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua pointed out that there is no such thing as a “conditional threat” that would exempt anyone from facing charges, even if, in Vice President Sara Duterte’s case, the assassin she had allegedly hired could never be traced.

“Wala namang tinatawag na ‘conditional threat’ na mga sinasabi nila. A threat is a threat. Halimbawa, nagbitaw ako ng salita, ‘Pag hindi ka nagbayad ng utang mo, papatayin kita.’ O hindi ba, puwede mo akong kasuhan din ng grave threat? Much more kung ito’y pagbabanta na binibitawan ng mga taong nasa matataas na posisyon,” said Chua during a Monday press conference.

He noted that during Duterte’s father’s administration, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, a man who offered a ₱50 million bounty for whoever could kill the elder Duterte off was arrested for threatening the head of state, despite clearly not having the resources to grant such a reward.

“In fact maaalala ninyo, noong nakaraang administrasyon, ‘yung isang tao na nagbanta sa buhay ng dating Pangulo na alam naman nating walang kapasidad at alam naman nating wala ring pera dahil nag-offer yata siya ng ₱50 million… and yet, inaresto at kinasuhan. So ganoon ka-serious itong pagbabantang ‘to against the President,” Chua recalled.

As for whether the hitman has been traced, and if identifying them would further solidify the case against the vice president, Chua explained that the trial was tackling the threats issued, not whether the hitman actually exists.

“Pinag-uusapan dito ‘yung binitawan na (pagbabanta) at hindi naman ‘yung isyu ng assassin. So walang kinalaman ‘yung assassin dito sa pagbabanta dahil puwede namang matuloy ‘yung pagbabanta kahit namang walang assassin,” Chua told the media.

In 2020, public school teacher Ronnel Mas was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for tweeting that he will reward whoever kills former President Duterte ₱50 million.

Mas had knelt and wept, apologizing for the social media post he said he had only made to get noticed.