By Brian Campued and Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
On Monday, the House prosecution and defense panels answered questions from senator-judges as they issued oral arguments for and against the issuance of subpoenas for the bank and tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio.
This was capped off by a Senate Impeachment Court ruling that granted the motion of the prosecution that calls for the disclosure of some of the financial records, as well as the peso-denominated bank accounts of 19 corporate entities linked to the Vice President, as part of the discussion on Article II (unexplained wealth) of the Articles of Impeachment.
On Tuesday, the Court resumed hearing Article IV (grave threats) with the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Atty. Melvin Matibag as prosecution’s last witness.
Here are the highlights of today’s trial:
- NBI Director Melvin Matibag was brought to the witness stand by House Lead Prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro to shed light on Vice President Duterte’s alleged threats to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
- Presiding Officer Francis Escudero admonished and reminded Matibag to refrain from issuing statements against any senator-judge that would “impinge” on the integrity of the impeachment court.
- Counsel for the respondent Atty. Mark Vinluan objected to the prosecution’s manifestation that they will question Matibag on a task force he created on April 16, 2026 to investigate the alleged threats to the life of President Marcos Jr.
Vinluan: “Such task force, your honor, was not part of the articles of impeachment as well as the impeachment complaint. There was no mention thereof and this is tantamount to a new information.”
In response, the House prosecution panel stressed the relevance of Matibag’s presence and the knowledge that he would share in the discussion of Article IV, saying that the task force was created for the purpose of furthering the investigation.
Luistro: “Ang mahalaga po dito, your honor, ay itong mga alegasyon or testimony to be presented ay may kaugnayan o relevant sa article of impeachment. It is not necessary that they be specifically mentioned in the articles of impeachment.”
Escudero overruled the defense’s objection, allowing Matibag to testify.
- Matibag stressed the importance of the special task force he formed through Administrative Order No. 11, as the Vice President remains the subject of a continuing investigation and the bureau now treats her alleged threat as a “plan” to kill the President.
Matibag: “From our law enforcement perspective, ang ginawa pong banta ng Bise Presidente ay tinatrato na naming hindi banta kundi isang plano para 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.”
- According to Matibag, the special task force is headed by the NBI Deputy Director for Operations, with the Assistant Director for Investigation Service and Assistant Director for Intelligence Service designated as assistant team leaders.
Meanwhile, the members of the task force include the NBI National Capital Region, Cybercrime Division, Organized Transnational Crime Division, Technical Intelligence Division, and Digital Forensic Laboratory.
- On the factors that necessitated the creation of a task force, Matibag said he considers Vice President Duterte’s utterances not mere threats but an executable plan to kill the President.
Matibag: “Ano man pong banta sa ating Pangulo ay banta sa seguridad ng ating bansa, sapagkat ito ay magdudulot ng kaguluhan, ng ligalig, at destabilisasyon po sa ating gobyerno at sa atin pong bansa.”
Matibag added that another reason why they created the special task force was the April 12, 2026, RAGE Coalition rally, where Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said: “Isang ulo lang naman ang kailangan namin—ang ulo ni Bongbong Marcos.”
As part of the NBI’s investigation, Matibag said the video of Mayor Duterte was compared with the Oct. 18, 2024, video of Vice President Duterte, where she said she imagined “cutting” the head of the President.
Matibag: “Kapansin-pansin po na makikita natin na nanggagaling sa iisang pamilya ang pangbabanta sa ating Pangulo.
Ang tingin nga po namin dito, the threat is serious, active, and continuing doon po sa banta sa ating presidente. At dahil ito ay seryoso, aktibo, at patuloy na umiiral ay nagiging banta na rin po sa ating pambansang seguridad sapagkat ano man pong banta sa seguridad ng ating pangulo ay banta po sa ating national security.”
Matibag said that statements from the Duterte family demonstrate a “kinetic force” that incites public unrest against the President.
- Asked about the basis of the NBI special task force in its investigation, Matibag said they used:
- pattern of violence
- gravity and seriousness of an incident
- identity and identifying characteristics of those involved in the event
- capability and capacity of subject
- motive of subject involved
In establishing the pattern of violence, Matibag cited an incident in July 2011 where then-Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte punched former Court Sheriff Abe Andres during a demolition operation as well as an affidavit of self-confessed Davao Death Squad member Arturo Lascañas noting VP Duterte’s alleged links to “Oplan Tokhang”.
For gravity and seriousness, Matibag said the fact that the “threat” was made against the President, First Lady, and former Speaker is already serious.
On the capacity of the Vice President to execute the “threat,” Matibag noted they considered her network and the network of her father, as well as their access to weapons and the Vice Presidential Security Group.
On the motive, Matibag said that if the President dies, the Vice President will succeed him.
- Matibag revealed that the NBI has identified “persons of interest” who could lead to the individual Vice President Duterte allegedly spoke with to carry out an assassination plan against the President, First Lady, and former Speaker.
However, he declined to disclose the identities of the said “persons of interest” because they have the right to protect their informants.
Matibag: “Kapag ang ganito pong bagay na it’s an open and continuing investigation ay ating isisiwalat, unang-una pong mangyayari rito ay makokompromiso po ang ating imbestigasyon at mailalagay po sa alanganin yung atin pong mga tinatawag na informants o assets na nasa ground na nagbibigay po sa atin ng human intel.”
- During the defense’s cross-examination, Atty. Vinluan questioned Matibag’s lack of direct involvement in the bureau’s investigation following Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024, online press conference.
Matibag admitted that he did not personally participate in issuing around 10 subpoenas to the personalities present at the press conference nor did he oversee initial interviews conducted as part of the investigation, noting that he only assumed office as NBI Director in Feb. 20, 2026.
Presiding Officer Escudero allowed the defense to pursue its line of questioning despite a continuing objection from Lead Prosecutor Rep. Luistro, who reiterated that Matibag had no personal knowledge of the investigation prior to his appointment.
- Atty. Vinluan pointed out that Matibag’s wife, Rep. Ma. Rene Ann Lourdes Matibag is one of the signatories of the House Resolution No. 989, which sets forth the articles of impeachment against Duterte.
Matibag confirmed this but maintained that the job of his wife is “totally detached” from him.
Matibag: “My decision to be a witness is by virtue of a subpoena issued by the honorable Court and by the invitation of the Committee of Justice and the prosecution. However, the job of my wife as a legislator is totally detached from me being the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation.”
- Matibag also asserted that he was not ‘coached’ by the prosecutors prior to testifying before the Senate impeachment court.
This, after Atty. Vinluan pointed out that Matibag appeared at the trial without a formal written subpoena issued by the impeachment court.
Rep. Luistro said that a subpoena had been issued in the proceedings but Matibag’s appearance had been rescheduled due to other matters that were already “heard and addressed” by the impeachment court.
- Atty. Vinluan asked Matibag if his testimony is not premature considering that they are still pursuing leads and that they are conducting an open and continuing investigation, covering the alleged “assassin” contracted by the Vice President to kill the President.
Matibag: “Hindi po. Sapagkat malinaw naman po sa statement ng ating Bise Presidente na meron siyang kinausap para patayin si Bongbong Marcos, si Liza [Araneta-Marcos], si Martin Romualdez, at sinabi pa niya na walang biro. To us, sa law investigation, applying po namin yun pong methodology na ginagamit ng secret service sa Amerika, papasok po rito na ito’y isang malinaw na confession ng isang tao na meron siyang isang plano na pagpatay.”
Matibag also asserted that there is no trial of publicity, stressing that confidentiality still prevails in their investigation into the persons of interest linked to VP Duterte’s case.
- Atty. Vinluan presented an infographic to Matibag showing the respective public trust ratings of VP Duterte and President Marcos Jr. in a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, alongside three 2024 opinion columns authored by Matibag titled “Inday Sara the Bratinella,” “The Bratinella is a flat spare tire,” and “The Bratinella, Sara, and her bad habits.”
Matibag maintained that his past opinion columns reflect his views as a writer at the time and do not affect how he dictates law enforcement investigations.
Matibag: “May mandato po ang NBI. We cannot be swayed by public opinion o kaya po ng aming personal na opinion. Kami po ay nag-iimbestiga—nababatay sa batas, nababatay sa proseso, at nababatay po sa ating itinakdang mandato base po sa pagkakatatag ng NBI…
A survey is just a snapshot of what’s happening. It doesn’t necessarily follow na pagka iyon na yung lumabas ay iyon na yung totoo… Pagka po ating pinagbasehan ang popularidad, ang ibig sabihin po ba nito, ang isang pinakilala at popular na tao puwede nang gumawa ng krimen, at ‘di natin papapanagutin?”
- Following the cross-examination, senator-judges raised their interjections and questions to Matibag:
Senator-judge Joel Villanueva: “Paano ine-evaluate ng NBI ang isang alegasyon na ang isang tao ay nag-utos o kumontrata ng iba para gumawa ng krimen? Tinukoy ba ninyo kung ang ganitong alegasyon ay maaaring pumasok sa mga umiiral na probisyon ng ating Revised Penal Code o iba pang special penal laws?”
Matibag: “‘Yun pong imbestigasyon sa grave threat at inciting to sedition, malinaw po ito na napapaloob sa Revised Penal Code. Iyon naman pong pag-iimbestiga at paghahanap doon sa taong kinausap para pumatay, hindi po ito napapaloob sa Revised Penal Code dahil iyon pong pagpaplanong pagpatay ay hindi naman po pinaparusahan yan kung hindi naman nagawa.
Subalit doon na po papasok yung… betrayal of public trust—dahil meron po siyang sinumpaang tungkulin.”
Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo then asked Matibag what the difference of Vice President Duterte’s case is with that of Ronnel Mas, a teacher who said in 2020 that he will give P50 million to whoever kills former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Matibag: “Ang pagkakaiba po nila itong si Ronnel Mas ay isang guro, si Vice President ay isa naman pong Vice President, at siguro po ito ang naging konsiderasyon kung bakit hindi siya inaresto agad.”
When asked by Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros whether the alleged “Oplan Romanov” is a threat on the life of the President or the Vice President, Matibag said this remains part of the continuing investigation of the NBI special task force.
Matibag also confirmed that there is “actionable intelligence” regarding the presence of a continuing threat to the life of the President, but there is still none on the threat to the life of the Vice President.
Senator-judge and Senate President Win Gatchalian then asked Matibag about the status of the special task force he created, noting that such a group is only “temporary in nature.”
Gatchalian: “Kailan matatapos ang inyong imbestigasyon—dahil nga nasabi ko na 1 year and 8 months na ito, ngayon may bagong task force? Kailan matatapos yung investigation para matukoy kung sino yung nakontrata (na taong papatay sa Presidente)?”
Matibag: “Ito po ay matatapos finally kapag atin pong na-locate specifically ang taong kausap ng bise presidente… I cannot give the exact time, but the task force was established on April 16 and doing a great progress po, so sa palagay ko po, malapit na rin nating mahanap itong taong atin pong tinutukoy.
As we go on to the progress, probably within three to six months ay magkakaroon tayo ng malinaw na data tungkol po dito.”
When asked by Senator-judge Bam Aquino what the probability is that VP Duterte talked to someone to do the killing, Matibag said: “100% po sapagkat siya na mismo ang nagsabi ng kanyang plano na siya’y may kinausap na papatay at pumayag yung papatay sa kanilang pag-uusap.”
Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano asked Matibag about the NBI’s process on which parts of the videos they will believe that Vice President Duterte made the threats. Matibag explained that the agency reviewed parts where VP Duterte directly said the threats.
Senator-judge Francis Pangilinan, meanwhile, asked Matibag whether survey trust ratings are related to the trust of a public official: “Kung mataas ang trust rating ibig sabihin wala nang betrayal of the public trust?”
Matibag: “Wala po. Sapagkat sabi ko nga… survey is only a snapshot ng mga pwedeng mangyari… hindi po natin pwede itong maging basehan sa pag-iimbestiga.
Yung trust ay rating-based po sa numero. Yung betrayal of public trust, malinaw naman po yan na nakasaad sa Konstitusyon.”
Senator-judge Pia Cayetano criticized the use of Lascañas’ affidavit, which is not notarized and does not have a wet signature.
- Before ending today’s trial, Presiding Officer Escudero withdrew the subpoenas of former LandBank branch managers Violeta Constantino and Nenita Camposano that were originally set to testify for Article I on July 22.
Meanwhile, the subpoena requests for House of Representatives records official Marivic Pareja and Commission on Audit personnel Roderick Wamil would be acted upon “at the proper time.”
- Escudero also announced that there would be no trial on July 27 to accommodate the President’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) and on July 28 to “afford the minority the opportunity to prepare and deliver their contra-SONA.”
For July 29-30, the trial would run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by the regular Senate session at 4:00 p.m.
Beginning in August, the impeachment court will hold trial from Monday to Wednesday, also from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The trial is adjourned and will resume on Wednesday, July 22, 2:00 p.m., with the continuation of the defense’s cross-examination of Matibag.
-av
