Metro Manila, Philippines – National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag bared at the Impeachment Court that his agency has established persons of interest in relation to Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged threat to kill the president and members of his family, but refused to name names to avoid compromising the investigation.
“Meron po tayong mga leads na atin pong sinusundan at katunayan, we already have established persons of interest na maaaring makapagturo o tumukoy dun sa taong kinausap ng ating Bise Presidente, o maaaring isa rito sa tinatawag nating persons of interest ang nakausap,” Matibag said on Tuesday, July 21, as witness of the prosecution panel.
[Translation: We have leads that we are following and we already have established persons of interest who can point to the person that the vice president spoke to, or maybe one of these persons of interest are whom the vice president spoke to.]
Matibag was referring to the hitman that Duterte said she hired during a Nov. 23, 2024 online press conference. Duterte claimed that the hitman would kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez if she herself were to be killed.
The NBI formed a special task force in April to investigate the threats. He defined the persons of interest as those who can clarify or identify the supposed hitman, or what happened during the supposed contracting.
Matibag asked the court’s permission to avoid identifying individuals to protect their privacy, the safety of the agency’s informants, and the confidentiality of the investigation.
Asked about the timeline of the investigation, given that it’s already been one year and eight months, Matibag said the NBI may have a clearer picture of the situation and identify the assassin in three to six months.
“Ang aming pong imbestigasyon at ang task force is a continuing and active investigation of the threat to the president,” Matibag said.
[Translation: Our investigation and task force is a continuing and active investigation of the threat to the president.]
Luistro tried to ask Matibag if Duterte violated any laws when she made her statements, but defense counsel Mark Vinluan objected as it would constitute a conclusion of law, ending Luistro’s questioning of the witness.
The court went into recess after Matibag’s testimony.
‘I know where you’re going’
Vinluan, leading the defense panel’s cross-examination, took the opportunity to target the credibility and bias of Matibag as a witness. He asked Matibag about his personal knowledge of the grave threats case against Duterte, as Matibag only took on the NBI directorship in February 2026.
The NBI director admitted that he had no personal knowledge about subpoenas for 10 ipeople and four signed minutes for interviews of media members who were present during the online press briefing where Duterte made her alleged threat. The defense panel pointed out that this was hearsay.
Meanwhile, Vinluan highlighted two elements to support their argument on Matibag’s supposed bias against Duterte.
First, the defense pointed out that Matibag’s wife, Laguna Rep. Ann Matibag, was an endorser of the Impeachment Articles against Duterte. Defense spokesperson Michael Poa said this was not meant to offend the NBI director, but to test his bias.
Matibag acknowledged this but said his wife’s job as a lawmaker was detached from his NBI directorship. In the following question, the NBI chief also admitted that he appeared as a witness voluntarily, and not under the authority of a court subpoena.
Next, Vinluan pointed out scathing columns against Duterte that Matibag had written in the past, labelling the vice president as “The Bratinella.”
Finally, the defense asked Matibag about his previous meetings with House prosecutors, a line of questioning meant to test if the NBI Director had rehearsed his testimony.
Matibag said that he had met with House prosecutors twice when he was informed that he would be a witness.
“You are confirming in open court that you discussed or you were briefed in that meeting based on your testimony?” Vinluan asked Matibag
“I’m a lawyer and I know where you’re going,” Matibag said, explaining that he and the House prosecutors only discussed the nature of his testimony.
‘I don’t think Director Matibag knows where I’m going….At any rate, your honor, I don’t think we’re calling him as a witness,” Vinluan responded.
The defense will continue its cross-examination of Matibag on Wednesday, July 22.
