Atty. Jeremy Lotoc
THE next National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte is expected to explain why and how the NBI investigated the authenticated threat videos, including the basis for the bureau’s findings on the alleged threats.
“We can only give the general look of the testimony. Kasi okay si Senior Agent Calilung yung pundasyon, si Senior Agent Calilung ay napatunayan nga na tunay ‘yung video recording, authentic. Ang mangyayari naman ngayon, in the case of Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, who is a seasoned NBI investigator, a lawyer, and an NBI lawyer, sasabihin naman niya bakit at paano nila sinuri ‘yung mga ebidensya. Yung mga video na pinakita at inauthenticate sa testimony ni Senior Agent Calilung,” De Lima said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
De Lima, one of the House prosecutors, said Senior Agent John Mark Calilung laid the foundation by authenticating the videos, while Atty. Jeremy Lotoc is expected to discuss the investigation behind them.
“So ano yung istorya doon? Ano yung naging resulta ng kanilang imbestigasyon?” De Lima asked.
The prosecution opened the evidentiary phase of Article IV by presenting NBI testimony on the videos allegedly showing VP Duterte’s threat remarks, a key part of the impeachment case now before the Senate.
“Because he is the head agent of the team that investigated the threats. And siyempre kasama ‘yun yung mga video. So yun bakit sinuri, ano yung resulta ng pagsusuri ng kanilang mga imbestigasyon, yung kanilang mga follow-up investigation din. Kasi nga si Senior Agent Calilung, he mentioned about yung mga open source investigation and then susundan din ito ng Atty. Jeremy Lotoc,” De Lima explained.
She said Lotoc’s testimony would build on Calilung’s authentication work by adding the investigative findings behind the videos.
“So he will both be corroborating as well as adding certain aspects to the testimony of Agent Calilung. Lalo na doon sa pinaka-imbestigasyon mismo at ano ang resulta, ano yung basehan nung kanilang konklusyon kung bakit ni-refer nila, ni-forward nila sa DOJ,” De Lima added.
De Lima said the NBI witness is expected to explain the bureau’s finding that the matter involved grave threats and probable cause at the investigative level.
“So meron silang finding na ito ay grave threats, na ito ay merong probable cause at the level of the investigators for a grave threats case. So kasama po yan,” De Lima noted.
She said the testimony is expected to go into the circumstances and seriousness of the alleged threats based on the NBI investigation.
“Ano yung mga circumstances, ano yung mga condition, ano yung seriousness nung mga pagbabanta na yun? Ano ‘yung umiiral na konteksto doon sa pagbabanta given the results of their investigation?” De Lima asked.
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