THE House prosecution panel on Wednesday wrapped up its presentation of evidence on the impeachment charge over Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s alleged threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. after concluding the testimony of its final witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag.
Lead prosecutor Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro formally ended Matibag’s appearance after informing the Senate impeachment court that the prosecution no longer saw the need for a redirect examination.
“The prosecution finds it unnecessary to conduct redirect examination,” said Luistro.
Matibag was the prosecution’s third and final witness on the impeachment article stemming from Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 statement that she had arranged for someone to assassinate President Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez if she herself were killed.
Before Matibag took the stand, the prosecution presented NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, who authenticated the recording of Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 online press conference, and NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc, who testified on the bureau’s investigation that led to the filing of complaints for grave threats and inciting to sedition before the Department of Justice.
During Wednesday’s cross-examination, the defense challenged the NBI’s findings, arguing that Duterte’s statements had been taken out of context and questioning the bureau’s continuing investigation into the alleged threats.
Matibag stood by the NBI’s assessment, saying law enforcement authorities cannot simply disregard statements that could threaten public safety.
“Mahirap po para sa aming law enforcement na ’yung ganyang mga statement ay aming pong babalewalain,” he said.
By way of comparison, Matibag cited how authorities respond to bomb jokes, saying potentially threatening statements must be processed rather than ignored.
Matibag also disclosed that the NBI had investigated Duterte’s own allegations that her life was under threat and had twice invited her to participate, but she did not appear.
“I was informed by the investigating officers that it was considered, the threat that was mentioned to the Vice President. In fact, personalities were subpoenaed, including the Vice President two times, in order to aid the [NBI] in this investigation. However, to no avail, there was no attendance from the personalities that was invited,” he shared.
The NBI chief also maintained that Duterte’s own public admissions had already consummated betrayal of public trust, regardless of whether investigators ultimately identify the person she allegedly asked to kill President Marcos.
“The betrayal of public trust, as the issue in the impeachment court, we don’t need to investigate even if we pinpointed the person contracted,” Matibag said.
“Because the point being is, the betrayal of public trust was already been consummated when she publicly admitted, there is already an admission that she contracted a killer, a mamamatay-tao, an assassin, to kill the President,” he added.
During his direct examination on Tuesday, Matibag disclosed that the NBI’s special task force had already identified several “persons of interest” who could help determine whom Duterte allegedly contacted after publicly claiming she had instructed someone to kill President Marcos if she herself were killed.
He described the investigation as “continuing and active” and said disclosing the identities of those persons of interest could compromise the probe, expose intelligence assets and endanger informants.
Matibag testified that he created a special NBI task force after assuming office because the bureau determined that the alleged threats against the President had become a national security concern requiring a coordinated, multi-unit investigation.
He said the task force assessed the alleged threats using five protective intelligence factors, including the gravity of the threat, the identity of the person making it, capability, motive or intent, and what investigators described as a pattern of violence.
Among the materials reviewed were Duterte’s public statements before and after Nov. 23, 2024, including her earlier remark about wanting to cut off President Marcos’ head, as well as other information that investigators said helped place the alleged threats in context.
Matibag also testified that the most significant part of Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 statement was her claim that she had already spoken to someone who agreed to carry out the killings, distinguishing it from a spontaneous expression of anger and prompting the NBI to continue investigating the identity of the alleged contact.
With Matibag’s testimony concluded, the House prosecution formally rested its evidence on the threats article and is expected to proceed to the remaining impeachment charges, beginning with the allegations involving Duterte’s use of confidential funds.
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