THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Wednesday it has developed leads on individuals who may have been approached in connection with Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s statement that she had already spoken to someone to carry out killings, as part of an ongoing case build-up.
The investigation stems from a November 23, 2024 press conference video, played during the House Committee on Justice hearing, in which Duterte said she had instructed a person to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez if she were killed.
During questioning by House Committee on Justice Chair Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro of Batangas, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the follow-up investigation is focused on verifying Duterte’s claim that she had hired an assassin.
“We considered it as a serious and actual threat to the life of the President, kaya kailangan po naming bantayan,” Matibag said.
He confirmed that investigators are now tracking specific individuals believed to be linked to the alleged plot.
“We have leads already. We have some personalities that we are under surveillance and sinusundan po namin. We are zeroing on several individuals already,” he said.
Matibag declined to identify the individuals, citing operational security.
“I apologize that we cannot name the names of those individuals, but we are following several individuals who may be the ones she referred to in the threat,” he said.
He said the alleged hiring of an assassin remains central to the ongoing investigation.
“‘Yan po ‘yung part ng aming ongoing case build-up,” he said.
Matibag also told the panel that investigators are examining Duterte’s network of close associates to determine possible links.
“In general, we’re looking on those individuals in the close associates of the Vice President,” he said.
He stressed that the case involves a high-ranking official, requiring broader scrutiny of contacts and connections.
“Remember, ‘yung sinusundan po natin is the second highest ranking official of the country, so she has the network. Kaya kailangan nating sundan maigi at i-surveillance ‘yung mga nakakausap at kinausap,” he said.
The developments added to mounting evidence under review by the House panel as it moves toward a determination of probable cause in the impeachment complaints against Duterte.
