NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc on Tuesday told the Senate impeachment court that typographical errors in investigation documents do not affect the bureau’s findings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
During cross-examination, defense counsel Mark Vinluan questioned whether the errors in the NBI documents could constitute violations of due process, noting that Lotoc had earlier described the bureau’s case as “airtight.”
“Your Honor, the existence of these typographical errors does not alter the fact that the video exist, does not alter the fact that the Vice President uttered those statements, does not alter the fact na ang NBI mayroong findings, at ang findings nila, the Vice President committed the crime of grave threats and inciting to sedition,” Lotoc responded.
Lotoc stressed that the errors did not affect the authenticity of the video evidence presented before the court or the contents of Duterte’s recorded statements.
His testimony came after the defense highlighted typographical and clerical mistakes in NBI documents in an effort to question the integrity of the investigation.
The Nov. 23, 2024 online press conference is the subject of the fourth article of impeachment against Duterte. The article alleges that the Vice President committed culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust after publicly stating that she had instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez should she herself be killed.
Lotoc maintained that despite the clerical errors identified during cross-examination, the NBI’s findings remained unchanged.
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