THE House prosecution wants National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag to fully present the findings on Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s alleged threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his family, regardless of what issues senator-judges may raise during his testimony.
“Hindi po namin alam kung ano po ’yung mangyayari doon sa pagsalang ni Director Matibag. Pero siyempre ang focus talaga namin is to let him speak his truth, particularly on ’yung kabuuang komprehensibong investigation na ginawa po ng NBI,” House prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
Ridon made the statement after being asked whether senator-judges could raise objections or matters unrelated to the impeachment case when Matibag testifies before the Senate impeachment court on July 21.
The impeachment article stems from Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 online press conference, during which she said she had instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez if she herself were killed.
The NBI later investigated the remarks and recommended the filing of criminal charges for grave threats and inciting to sedition.
Ridon said Matibag is expected to present the NBI’s overall investigation into Duterte’s remarks, including whether authorities found indications that the alleged threats against the President and his family remain ongoing.
“Basically bubuuin niya ’yung naging imbestigasyon ng NBI on the threats made by the Vice President and whether there exists continuing threats by the Vice President on the President and his family,” he said.
The impeachment court has so far heard only from the NBI’s Cybercrime Division through the testimonies of Senior Agent John Mark Calilung and NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc.
He said Matibag would provide a broader account of the investigation by discussing the work of other NBI offices that participated in the probe.
“Ang narinig lang naman po natin is Cybercrime Division, sina Agent Calilung tsaka si Atty. Lotoc. ‘Yung kaya pong iambag kasi ni Director Matibag dito ay ’yung ibang opisina, kung ano ho ’yung ginawa nila na nadagdag na mga imbestigasyon sa pagbabanta ng Pangalawang Pangulo,” Ridon said.
Asked about what he had earlier described as a potentially explosive testimony, Ridon declined to elaborate.
“Kung sinabi ko ’yun ngayon, hindi na pasabog ’yun. So antayin po natin ’yung testimonya ni Director Matibag,” he said.
Ridon said the prosecution would leave it to the senator-judges to decide whether to take up issues outside the impeachment complaint during Matibag’s appearance.
“As to kung ano ’yung gagawin ng senator-judges on extraneous matters not related to the impeachment, we leave it to them. Kasi meron naman din silang karapatan na mag-raise ng iba’t ibang usapin dito sa amin pong pagdinig,” he said.
Matibag is expected to be the prosecution’s final witness on the impeachment article accusing Duterte of grave threats, culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.
The House prosecution has said it will proceed to presenting evidence on the article involving Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds after his testimony.
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