Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said on Saturday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. can “threaten anyone,” calling into question the state of freedom in the Philippines.

Mayor Duterte cited the arrest of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who is facing a plunder case in connection with allegedly undeclared campaign donations.

Duterte claimed the senator and prominent Duterte ally was placed behind bars because he was pushing for further inquiry on anomalous flood control projects.

“The President can threaten anyone. Tingnan niyo, walang natitira. Isa nating senador, kinulong nila. Our guest candidate during the midterm election, Rodante Marcoleta—just because he wants to open the Blue Ribbon Committee on flood control, anong ginawa sa kanya?” the mayor, who serves as the national president of PDP-Laban, said during the party’s assembly.

“Do we even have freedom at all, at this point, dito sa bansa natin?” he added.

Marcoleta has pleaded “not guilty” to his charges during a hearing before the Sandiganbayan on July 22.