The defense panel on Wednesday questioned why the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) created a special task force to investigate alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. but did not do the same for alleged threats against Vice President Sara Duterte.
During the ninth day of Duterte’s impeachment trial, defense counsel Mark Vinluan cited Administrative Order No. 11, which established a special NBI task force in April 2026 to investigate alleged threats to the President.
Reading from the order, Vinluan noted that the task force was created because such threats were considered grave offenses with implications for national security and the stability of government.
He then asked NBI Director Melvin Matibag whether alleged threats against the Vice President should likewise be considered grave offenses with far-reaching implications for public safety and government stability.
The prosecution objected, arguing that the question called for speculation, but Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero overruled the objection.
Matibag replied that threats against the President and other high-ranking government officials affect national security and public safety.
Vinluan then asked whether the NBI had formed a similar special task force to investigate alleged threats against Duterte.
‘There was none, as far as I can recall,’ Matibag replied.
The defense also cited Question and Answer No. 13 of Annex G-9 in the NBI records, which referred to an alleged threat against the Vice President.
‘Nakalagay doon may threat daw po. Tama po,’ Matibag confirmed.
Vinluan also asked whether Matibag, after assuming office on Feb. 20, 2026, initiated a motu proprio investigation into the alleged threats against Duterte.
Matibag said no subpoena had been issued to the Vice President because investigating officers had informed him of her previous non-attendance in NBI and House proceedings.
Asked whether the NBI also intended to subpoena former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Matibag said the bureau planned to do so but was still evaluating the testimonies of 18 alleged former Marines who claimed they served as bagmen in the alleged ?805-billion flood control kickback scheme, in which Romualdez and other politicians were implicated.
Vinluan also questioned whether Matibag had personally issued subpoenas to individuals who attended Duterte’s Nov. 22, 2024 press conference. Matibag said subpoenas had been issued, but Vinluan argued those were issued by Matibag’s predecessor.
The defense then contrasted the bureau’s handling of the two cases.
‘Insofar as the alleged threat against the President, there is an ongoing investigation. But in terms of the alleged threat against the Vice President, there is no ongoing investigation?’ Vinluan asked.
‘There is a big difference, Your Honor,’ Matibag replied, without elaborating.
On Tuesday, Matibag testified that the NBI continues to investigate Duterte over her Nov. 23, 2024 video statement in which she said that if she were killed, she had instructed someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Romualdez.
He also testified, however, that the NBI had not monitored any credible or actual threat to Duterte’s life, although it treated her public statements seriously because of their potential implications for national security.