NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on Tuesday told the Senate impeachment court that threats against the President of the Philippines transcend ordinary criminality and directly implicate national security.
Matibag said Duterte remains the subject of a continuing investigation and that the bureau now treats her alleged threat as “hindi banta kundi isang plano” to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“From our law-enforcement perspective, ang ginawang banta ng Vice President ay tinatrato na namin hindi banta kundi isang plano para po sa pagpatay sa ating Pangulo, and that is a threat to the President which we consider also na threat na po sa ating national security,” Matibag testified.
Taking the witness stand as the House prosecution’s final witness under Article IV, Matibag said the continuing investigation covers the alleged threats and plan against the President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
“Ang ating Vice President ay kasalukuyang subject sa ating continuing investigation doon po sa pagbabanta at planong pagpatay po sa ating Pangulo, sa First Lady at sa dating Speaker of the House,” he said.
Matibag said the NBI’s work did not end with the criminal complaints for grave threats and inciting to sedition now pending before the Department of Justice. The bureau formed a special task force to continue the investigation, monitor threats and report developments requiring immediate action.
“Tayo po ay nagtatag ng tinatawag na special task force sa pamamagitan ng pag-create ng isang administrative order, kung saan bumalangkas po tayo ng mga miyembro ng aming opisina para sila po ang magpatuloy ng imbestigasyon na ito at mag-monitor po ng mga kailangang gawin,” Matibag said.
He identified the directive as Administrative Order No. 11, issued on April 16, 2026. The prosecution presented the order as Exhibit P-429 and said it would later submit a certified true copy.
Matibag said the task force was required to coordinate regularly with the Office of the NBI Director and immediately report information requiring action.
“Nakasaad po diyan sa administrative order na iyan ang patuloy na pakikipag-ugnayan po sa Office of the Director, patuloy na pag-uulat kung ano po ang kanilang nakikita o namo-monitor. At lalong-lalo na po kung may specific na kailangang agad na matugunan, ay dapat ipaalam sa Office of the Director,” he said.
Explaining what prompted the task force’s creation, Matibag cited the Vice President’s public statements and an April 12 broadcast of a RAGE Coalition rally.
“May broadcast po ng isang rally na tinatawag na RAGE Coalition. If I remember it correctly, it’s April 12, na nagsalita ang Mayor ng Davao City na si Mr. Sebastian Duterte na sinabi na, ‘Isang ulo lang naman ang kailangan namin, at iyan ay ang ulo ni Bongbong Marcos.’ Iyan po ay aming isinama sa aming factor upang buuin po itong Administrative Order No. 11,” Matibag testified.
The defense objected to the discussion of the rally as irrelevant. The presiding officer allowed the questioning but directed the prosecution to connect the video to the matter before the court. The hearing paused as Matibag consulted his investigation notes for the relevant timestamp.
The defense had earlier objected to the task-force testimony, arguing that its creation was not stated in the Articles of Impeachment. The presiding officer allowed Matibag to testify, saying the task force’s formation could bear on the persistence the prosecution seeks to establish. The defense registered a continuing objection.
Matibag said the task force brought together the NBI’s National Capital Region, Cybercrime, Organized and Transnational Crime, Technical Intelligence and Digital Forensic Laboratory divisions. He said their work included continuing surveillance, monitoring threats transmitted through social media, coordinating with foreign counterparts and conducting technical examinations of evidence.
For the NBI, Matibag said, the potential consequences of a threat against the country’s highest official extend to the government and the nation.
“Anumang banta sa ating Pangulo ay banta sa seguridad ng ating bansa sapagkat ito ay magdudulot ng kaguluhan, ligalig at destabilization po sa ating gobyerno at sa ating bansa,” Matibag said.
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