NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag is expected to provide significant information on the bureau’s wider investigation and whether continuing threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family were uncovered.
House prosecutor Terry Ridon declined to reveal the anticipated information before Matibag takes the witness stand, saying advance disclosure would defeat the purpose of the expected revelation.
“Kung sinabi ko iyon ngayon, hindi na pasabog iyon. So antayin po ho natin iyong testimonya po ni Director Matibag,” Ridon stressed.
Matibag will appear as the prosecution’s final witness under Article IV, which covers Vice President Sara Duterte’s recorded statements concerning the President, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Ridon said the NBI chief would go beyond the technical findings already presented by the Cybercrime Division and explain the work performed by the bureau’s other investigative units.
“Pero siyempre ang focus talaga namin is to let him speak his truth, particularly on iyong kabuuan na komprehensibong investigation na ginawa po ng NBI,” Ridon explained.
The first two NBI witnesses dealt with the authentication of the electronic evidence, its chain of custody, the contents of the recordings and the Cybercrime Division’s findings.
“Kasi ang narinig lang naman po natin is Cybercrime Division, sina Agent Calilung tsaka si Atty. Lotoc,” he noted.
He was referring to Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, regional director for NBI, and John Mark Calilung, senior NBI agent.
“Iyong kaya pong iambag kasi ni Director Matibag dito ay iyong ibang opisina, kung ano ho iyong ginawa nila na nadagdag na mga imbestigasyon sa pagbabanta ng Pangalawang Pangulo,” Ridon explained.
He said the testimony is intended to complete the NBI’s account as an institution rather than repeat the evidence already provided by its technical personnel.
“So iyong kay Director Matibag ay basically pagbubuo na lang po ng NBI investigation as an entire agency,” Ridon added.
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