Vice President Sara Duterte addresses supporters along Elliptical Road in Quezon City on September 11, 2026, after appearing before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte has received an invitation from the NBI to attend a conference on the allegations of Mr. Rodulfo Gracioso Jr.
This was confirmed on Saturday by the vice president's counsel, Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim.
Gracioso was a dismissed policeman and former security aide of then-House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco who claimed to have delivered billions of pesos worth in cash to the Vice President and her family. The vice president has denied the allegations.
The NBI confirmed on Thursday that they had issued invitations to Duterte and Velasco.
However, Lim said they could not reply yet since there was no copy of Gracioso's affidavit in the NBI's invitation.
READ: NBI invites Dutertes, Velasco to clear air on cash delivery allegations
"We have requested the NBI for a faithful copy thereof and all its supporting documents, if any," Lim said in a statement sent to the media.
"Once received, the Vice President will take appropriate action thereon in due course," he added.
Lim added that they will not be able to make it to the October 5 schedule set by the NBI.
"Our client cannot provide any meaningful reply to your request at this time. In this regard, we respectfully request your good office for a clear and faithful copy of Mr. Gracioso's Sinumpaang Salaysay, all attachments thereto, and supporting evidence submitted by him, if any" Lim said in his letter to the NBI.
"This will enable our client to intelligently prepare a reply thereto and/or take other appropriate action thereon," he added.
Duterte's counsel requested for sufficient time to examine Gracioso's affidavit first before appearing in the NBI.