NBI Chief to Testify on VP's Alleged Hired Killer

Matibag's testimony and NBI investigation

NBI Director Melvin Matibag will appear before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday, July 21, to address the grave threats article of the Articles of Impeachment that deals with grave threats. His testimony will focus on the National Bureau of Investigation's examination of Vice President Sara Duterte's November 2024 online press briefing statements. In those remarks Duterte said she had hired an assassin to kill President Marcos if she herself were taken down and added that she imagined cutting his head. The bureau began its inquiry immediately after the the 2024 timeframe briefing and Matibag disclosed the existence of the major case investigation on mid-July.

The Senate impeachment court earlier rejected a House bid that sought to limit or alter the scope of Matibag's testimony. This decision cleared the way for the NBI director to present the agency's findings directly to the senator-judges. The prosecution team has indicated it will use Matibag's appearance to establish the timeline of the NBI probe that started in late 2024 and continued through the mid-July announcement. Matibag's statements are expected to detail how the bureau treated the Vice President's comments as potential grave threats under existing law.

Matibag's scheduled testimony occurs while the impeachment trial remains in its second week. The NBI director's account will cover the investigative steps taken since the November 2024 online press briefing. Those steps include the formal launch of the case and the subsequent public confirmation of the inquiry on mid-July. The court has already determined that Matibag may testify without the restrictions previously proposed by the House.

The legal framework for grave threats under Philippine law

Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code defines grave threats and prescribes penalties that range from fines to imprisonment. The impeachment court is examining whether Vice President Sara Duterte's that same month statements meet the elements of this provision. Under the code, a conviction on grave threats can result in these penalties depending on the circumstances presented during trial. The prosecution intends to show that the remarks about hiring an assassin and imagining cutting the President's head fall within the statute's coverage.

The Senate impeachment court must secure 16 out of 24 votes, representing a two-thirds majority, to convict on any article including that article. This threshold applies specifically to the grave threats charge that Matibag will address on July 21. Historical impeachment proceedings reached different outcomes under the same voting requirement: President Estrada resigned in 2000-01, Chief Justice Corona was convicted in 2012, and Chief Justice Sereno was removed through quo warranto proceedings in 2018. The current trial applies the identical two-thirds rule to the grave threats allegations.

Matibag's testimony is expected to reference the statutory language of Article 282 without introducing new interpretations. The NBI investigation that covered the period, was conducted under the existing Revised Penal Code framework. Senator-judges will evaluate whether the evidence presented meets the legal standard for grave threats as defined in the code.

The evidence trail including bank records and the P612.5M confidential funds

The prosecution plans to request bank records connected to Vice President Sara Duterte as part of the evidence development for the threats charge. These records are intended to support the examination of the grave threats claim that originated in the November 2024 online press briefing. The investigation, provides the foundation for these requests. Matibag's July 21 testimony will occur alongside ongoing efforts to obtain financial documentation.

Separate allegations concerning the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds remain part of the broader impeachment proceedings. The prosecution has linked these financial matters to the overall case while preparing the bank records request tied to the grave threats article. Vice President Duterte has described the assassin-related allegations as fiction and lacking evidence. The court continues to receive submissions on both the threats charge and the confidential funds issue during the second week of trial.

Senator-judge Bam Aquino raised questions during proceedings about whether Vice President Duterte was lying if her lawyers deny the assassin claim. This line of inquiry occurs as the prosecution advances its plan to obtain bank records. The NBI's the 2024 timeframe investigation and mid-July announcement form the documented basis for the evidence trail now being presented. The P612.5 million confidential funds allegations continue to be addressed in parallel with the the same article testimony scheduled for July 21.

The political dynamics in the Senate

The Senate impeachment court operates with 24 senator-judges who must reach a two-thirds majority of 16 votes for conviction on Article 4. Matibag's July 21 testimony will be evaluated under this voting structure. Vice President Duterte has maintained that the grave threats allegations are fiction and lack evidence, a position presented to the same body of senator-judges. The trial's second week includes both the scheduled NBI testimony and continued discussion of related financial allegations involving P612.5 million.

Senator-judge Bam Aquino's questioning about potential inconsistencies between the Vice President's statements and her lawyers' denials reflects the scrutiny applied by individual senator-judges. The court previously rejected a House proposal concerning the parameters of Matibag's appearance, preserving the original scope of the July 21 testimony. These procedural decisions shape how the evidence from the investigation will be received.

The impeachment proceedings continue to balance the grave threats charge with the separate confidential funds allegations. Matibag's testimony on Article 4 will be delivered to the full panel of senator-judges who hold the authority to determine whether 16 votes support conviction. The NBI director's account of the mid-July announcement and the earlier late 2024 investigation launch will form part of the record considered by this body.

What comes next

Following Matibag's July 21 testimony, the prosecution will proceed with its request for bank records related to Vice President Duterte. The NBI investigation, supplies the investigative record that supports this next step. The Senate impeachment court will continue its second-week schedule while addressing both Article 4 and the P612.5 million confidential funds allegations.

The two-thirds majority requirement of 16 out of 24 votes remains the standard for any conviction on grave threats. Vice President Duterte's characterization of the allegations as fiction and lacking evidence will be weighed against the evidence presented through Matibag and subsequent document requests. The court has already established that the NBI director may testify without the limitations previously sought by the House.

Additional proceedings will determine how the bank records and other materials integrate with the testimony scheduled for July 21. The legal framework under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code continues to guide the evaluation of the November 2024 statements. The trial will advance with these elements while maintaining the required voting threshold for any final decision on Article 4.

By Isabella "Bella" Reyes, Staff Writer