‘Mahirap po para sa’ming law enforcement na ‘yong ganyang mga statement ay amin pong babalewalain,’ National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag explains

MANILA, Philippines – The counsels of Vice President Sara Duterte continued to defend the Vice President in her impeachment case by casting doubt on the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)’s assessment of her alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

During the trial’s ninth day, defense lawyer Mark Vinluan played a portion of the October 2024 video of the Vice President where she said that she imagined herself cutting Marcos’ head. NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed that this was the source of the “cutting head” remarks that his bureau was looking into.

“Didn’t VP Sara say her statement in jest?” Vinluan asked.

Lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro objected to the question, saying it was speculative. But presiding officer Senator Chiz Escudero ruled that Matibag may answer.

“Again, I cannot go into the state of mind of the Vice President, and precisely the reason why do’n sa pattern of violence, kasama po talaga ‘yan e…. ‘Pag pinagsama-sama po ‘yong amin pong imbestigasyon, ‘yong amin pong napanood, kasama po ‘yan, do’n po namin na-establish ‘yong isa do’n sa limang factors na pattern of violence,” Matibag responded.

(Again, I cannot go into the state of mind of the Vice President, and precisely the reason why that’s part of the pattern of violence. If we piece together our evidence, what we’ve watched, that’s part of…one of the five factors of the pattern of violence.)

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Vinluan then asked the NBI director if they had taken the Vice President’s statements out of context.

“Mahirap po para sa’ming law enforcement na ‘yong ganyang mga statement ay amin pong babalewalain…. Sa amin po sa law enforcement, we have to give credence to that and i-process po namin,” said Matibag.

(It’s hard for us law enforcement to neglect those statements…. For us law enforcement, we have to give credence to that and process it.)

The impeachment court held the last trial day for the grave threats allegations against the Vice President – the fourth article of impeachment – on Wednesday, July 22. The article includes Duterte’s November 2024 press conference where she announced that she had allegedly contracted a hitman to harm Marcos and his family if she gets killed. (READ: Sara Duterte: If I get killed, so will Marcos, Liza Araneta, Romualdez)

The prosecution and the NBI also looked into former incidents involving the Vice President in establishing her supposed history of violence. Apart from the past press conferences, the authorities also highlighted Duterte’s punching of sheriff Abe Andres in Davao City when she was mayor.

Andres was supposed to testify for the prosecution, but he was dropped as a witness alongside seven others.

Vinluan, during cross-examination, touched on this issue and indirectly explained the context behind the incident. He said, while interrogating Matibag, that Duterte punched Andres due to his refusal to give a two-hour extension to informal settlers during a demolition in 2011.

“So, in other words, are you also aware that it was the sheriff’s refusal to provide the two-hour extension? That’s why VP Sara got angry?” the defense counsel asked.

“Well, that is the claim of the then-mayor,” Matibag said in response.

Doubting Lascañas

The defense continued to cast doubt on the affidavit of self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) member Arturo Lascañas during the continuance of Vinluan’s cross-examination. The defense even called the affidavit a mere scrap of paper.

Lascañas’ affidavit has been submitted to the International Criminal Court as part of the crimes against humanity case against the Vice President’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. The self-confessed DDS named the Vice President in his affidavit, claiming there that they had allegedly received kill orders from the former president, then later, from Sara as Davao City mayor.

As a blow to Lascañas, Vinluan raised his alleged perjury.

Vinluan asked Matibag if Lascañas was the same man who was recommended to be charged with perjury by the Senate panel led by Senator Ping Lacson. Matibag said he didn’t “hear” that Lascañas was charged with the said offense.

Later in the trial, Lacson interjected and clarified that Lascañas retracted and changed his testimony before the Senate, but the senator did not file a perjury complaint against him.

“Because of this committee report, I recommend amending the Revised Penal Code, particularly for the crime of perjury. But I just want to correct that I did not file a perjury [complaint],” Lacson said in his manifestation.

Vinluan later asked Matibag if the NBI immediately believed Lascañas’ claims. Matibag explained that they relied on his statements to establish Duterte’s alleged pattern of violence. – Rappler.com