NBI exec: VP threat vs Marcos Jr., FL, Romualdez real

MANILA, Philippines —  The allegation of “grave threats” on President Marcos was the focus of the testimony by a National Bureau of Investigation agent at the resumption yesterday of the trial of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte.

Jeremy Lotoc, NBI regional director for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said that based on the investigation by the bureau’s cybercrime division, the death threats on Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos and former speaker Martin Romualdez made by Duterte at an online briefing in November 2024 were serious, although he couldn’t tell her exact motive.

“To me, as the chief investigator at that time, the utterances made by the Vice President were serious and the threat was real,” Lotoc told the impeachment court. He was the second NBI official to face the impeachment court as prosecution witness. The first was NBI agent John Mark Calilung.

Replying to questioning from Sen. Erwin Tulfo, Lotoc said Duterte’s possible motivation to kill may be addressed to their intelligence services.

“As far as the Cybercrime Division is concerned, we focused only on grave threats. With regard to motivation, maybe the division that can answer that is from our intelligence service, they may have intelligence information on that,” Lotoc said on the second week of the trial.

But he said NBI Director Melvin Matibag, may have information about it.

House prosecutor Rep. Lorenz Defensor informed the court they might present the NBI chief this week which, according to presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero, would still be “subject to the approval” of the senator-judges.

Lotoc said investigators based their assessment on four factors: Duterte’s manner of delivering the statements, their literal meaning, the nature of the instruction and the relationship between the parties involved.

‘Fuming mad’

During questioning by private prosecutor Virgil Ligutan, Lotoc testified that Duterte appeared to be “furious and fuming mad” during her online video press conference.

The prosecution played portions of Duterte’s Zoom press conference, where she repeatedly uttered expletives against Marcos, the First Lady and Romualdez.

The witness also confirmed the NBI examined earlier statements made by Duterte, including an October 2024 press conference where she allegedly said she imagined “cutting” the President’s head off.

According to Lotoc, the NBI documented how Duterte’s remarks prompted responses from the Presidential Communications Office, National Security Council, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other government agencies.

He said the PCO classified Duterte’s remarks as an “active threat,” while former executive secretary Lucas Bersamin directed the Presidential Security Command to investigate.

Under questioning by Escudero, Lotoc said the NBI found sufficient basis to file criminal complaints against Duterte.

“We believe the Vice President committed a crime, grave threats, inciting to sedition,” Lotoc said.

With or without condition

Asked by Sen. Judge Risa Hontiveros if the Vice President’s outbursts were justified because of an emotional trigger, Lotoc said all the elements of grave threat were met. “It can be committed with or without condition,” Lotoc said.

On Sen. Joel Villanueva’s questioning, Lotoc said the threats were “absolute” even in the absence of information on the assassin. He said the NBI recommended charges of grave threats and inciting to sedition against her “based on prima facie evidence with certainty of conviction.”

A complaint is pending for preliminary investigation before the Department of Justice. –  Mark Ernest Villeza, Marc Jayson Cayabyab