The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified several persons of interest and is actively pursuing leads in its ongoing investigation into the alleged threats made by Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, NBI Director Melvin Matibag told the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday.
Matibag declined to disclose their identities, warning that doing so prematurely could compromise the probe, endanger informants, and expose sensitive intelligence.
‘At present, our investigation and the task force’s work remain ongoing and active in addressing the threat to the president. We have leads that we are pursuing, and, in fact, we have already identified persons of interest who may be able to point to or identify the individual the vice president spoke with-or one of these persons of interest could be the very person she communicated with,’ Matibag testified.
The NBI’s special task force, he said, continues to investigate potential threats against the president, with efforts focused on determining who Duterte allegedly contacted in connection with a supposed plan to kill the President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
While the agency has established persons of interest, Matibag clarified that this does not mean the NBI has conclusively identified Duterte’s alleged contact. Rather, these individuals may provide information that could help identify the person involved or shed light on the circumstances of the alleged communication.
He emphasized that naming them at this stage could jeopardize the investigation.
‘Revealing details in an open and continuing investigation could compromise our operations,’ Matibag said, adding that it could also put informants and field assets at risk.
The identification of the alleged contact, he noted, is a central part of the task force’s mandate, which includes ensuring the president’s security and determining whether a credible plot exists.
Matibag also revealed that the NBI’s Cybercrime Division has been monitoring social media posts and videos containing threats against the president, including references to shooting him, further heightening concerns over national security.
Matibag presented confidential task force reports, meeting minutes, and internal documents to the court, confirming that these contain information related to the persons of interest. However, he reiterated that such materials cannot be disclosed publicly due to their classified nature.
Meanwhile, during the hearing, presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero sustained the defense’s objection to a question from the prosecution asking what law Duterte may have violated, ruling that it called for a legal conclusion while the investigation remains ongoing.
Beyond ordinary
Matibag also said that any threat directed at the president of the Philippines goes beyond ordinary criminal acts and directly affects national security.
From a law enforcement standpoint, Matibag explained, the alleged threat has been elevated to a serious concern involving national security, as it could destabilize the government and the country.
He said the NBI’s work did not end with the filing of criminal complaints for grave threats and inciting to sedition before the Department of Justice. Instead, the bureau created a special task force to continue the investigation, monitor threats, and immediately report developments requiring action.
The task force was formed through Administrative Order No. 11, issued on April 16, 2026, and is tasked with coordinating closely with the Office of the Director while providing continuous updates and urgent reports when necessary.
Matibag said the decision to establish the task force was influenced by several factors, including the Vice President’s public statements and an April 12 rally of the RAGE Coalition, where Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte allegedly made statements referencing the President.
The defense objected to the inclusion of the rally, arguing it was irrelevant, but the presiding officer allowed the line of questioning, instructing the prosecution to establish its relevance.
According to Matibag, the task force integrates multiple NBI units-including cybercrime, intelligence, and forensic divisions-to conduct surveillance, monitor online threats, coordinate with international counterparts, and analyze evidence.
He emphasized that threats against the president could lead to instability and disorder, making them a matter of national concern.
Matibag also explained that the NBI evaluates threats using several key factors: pattern of violence, gravity, identity, capability, and motive.
On the seriousness of the threat, he noted that the individuals allegedly targeted include the president, the first lady, and a former speaker-figures holding or having held top government positions-making the situation particularly grave.
Investigators also examined Duterte’s previous public statements, including a November 23, 2024, online press conference where she repeatedly said she was not joking.
Matibag said this, along with other statements, reinforced the NBI’s assessment that the Vice President may have communicated with someone who allegedly agreed to carry out the killing.
On identity, he said the source of the statements had been clearly established, noting that Duterte herself publicly made and acknowledged them.
Regarding capability, the NBI considered Duterte’s network and influence, including connections formed during her father’s presidency.
Matibag said Duterte remains the subject of a continuing investigation and that the bureau now treats her alleged threat as ‘hindi banta kundi isang plano’ to kill Marcos.
On motive, Matibag pointed to the constitutional line of succession, explaining that the vice president would assume the presidency if the sitting president were to die.
He added that the situation has already contributed to public tension, citing numerous threats being monitored on social media, which further underscores the seriousness of the issue.
‘It’s creating chaos-there has been disorder, followed by a series of attacks against the government. Among ordinary citizens, we can see that threats against the president persist. In fact, we have monitored numerous threats on social media,’ Matibag testified.
‘Pattern of violence’
Matibag also cited what he described as Duterte’s ‘pattern of violence’ as among the factors considered in the investigation into her alleged threats against the president.
Testifying before the Senate impeachment court, Matibag said the NBI Special Task Force reviewed publicly available information and other materials as part of its ongoing threat assessment.
Among the incidents examined was a 2011 altercation in which Duterte, then mayor of Davao City, allegedly punched a court sheriff implementing a demolition order.
‘We noted an event when the vice president was still mayor, where she reportedly called the sheriff and struck him in the face,’ he added.
Matibag also said the task force reviewed a document attributed to self-confessed former Davao Death Squad member Arturo Lascañas.
The document alleged that Duterte, while serving as mayor, approved anti-drug operations and instructed operatives to abduct suspected drug personalities and bury them instead of shooting them to avoid media attention.
In a portion read before the court, Lascañas claimed that former Davao City police chief Ronald dela Rosa told him Duterte preferred that targets be abducted and buried at a quarry so they would simply be reported missing.
Another excerpt alleged that Lascañas personally heard Duterte instruct a retired police officer to kidnap suspected drug personalities and other alleged criminals instead of shooting them.
Another portion alleged that Lascañas personally heard Duterte instruct a retired police officer to kidnap suspected drug personalities and other alleged criminals instead of shooting them.
The document attributed to Duterte the instruction ‘Shooting your target is too brazen. Just kidnap them so they will just go missing and so that the media won’t bother us.’
The defense repeatedly objected to the reading of the document, arguing that it was unsigned, unnotarized, and not made under oath. It also emphasized that Matibag was not the author and had no personal knowledge of the claims.
Matibag explained that law enforcement agencies routinely review open-source intelligence and similar materials for possible leads, even if they are not yet verified as evidence.
‘In law enforcement, we have what we call open-source intelligence. These are materials sent to us that we follow up on,’ he said, adding that the investigation remains ‘open, continuing, and active.’
He noted that such information is cross-checked with other data and can help guide investigators.
Presiding officer Francis Escudero allowed Matibag to identify and read portions of the document solely to explain the materials used by the NBI in its investigation.
Escudero repeatedly reminded senator-judges that the testimony should not be taken as proof that the allegations in the document are true.
The portions read were marked as prosecution exhibits, subject to the defense’s continuing objection and the court’s limitation on their evidentiary value.