Manila: National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on Tuesday told the Senate impeachment court that threats against the President of the Philippines transcend ordinary criminality and directly implicate national security.
According to Philippines News Agency, Matibag took the witness stand as the House prosecution's final witness under Article IV, stating that Duterte remains the subject of a continuing investigation and that the bureau now treats her alleged threat as a 'plan' to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. 'From our law enforcement perspective, ang ginawang banta ng Vice President ay tinatrato na namin hindi banta kundi isang plano para po sa pagpatay sa ating Pangulo (we now consider the Vice President's threat not as a threat but a plan to kill our President), and that is a threat to the President which we consider also na threat na po sa ating (as a threat to our) national security,' Matibag testified.
He said the ongoing investigation encompasses alleged threats and plans against not just the President, but also First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez. The NBI's efforts have extended beyond the criminal complaints for grave threats and inciting to sedition currently pending before the Department of Justice.
Matibag elaborated on the formation of a special task force under an administrative order, tasked with continuing the investigation and monitoring necessary actions. He identified the directive as Administrative Order 11, issued on April 16, 2026, which the prosecution presented as Exhibit P-429.
Explaining the task force's creation, Matibag mentioned the Vice President's public statements and an April 12 broadcast of a RAGE Coalition rally. During the rally, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte reportedly stated, 'Isang ulo lang naman ang kailangan namin, at iyan ay ang ulo ni Bongbong Marcos (we only need one head, and that's the head of Bongbong Marcos).'
The prosecution presented video evidence during the court proceedings, including portions of the RAGE Coalition rally and the Vice President's press conference, which contained statements such as 'Gusto kong tanggalin 'yung ulo niya,' and 'I imagined myself cutting his head.'
The defense objected to linking the videos, arguing that the questions were vague or irrelevant. However, presiding officer Sen. Francis 'Chiz' Escudero overruled the objections, allowing the testimony to remain part of the record.
Matibag emphasized that the task force integrates various NBI divisions, including Cybercrime, Organized and Transnational Crime, Technical Intelligence, and Digital Forensic Laboratory, due to the complexity of the threats, which include social media transmissions requiring constant monitoring.
Matibag's testimony underscores the NBI's assessment of the seriousness and potential implications of the alleged plan and other threats. Lead prosecutor Batangas Rep. Gerville 'Jinky Bitrics' Luistro highlighted the significance of these incidents to the task force's investigation, noting the ongoing and serious nature of the threats to the President and national security.
During a press briefing, private prosecutor Benjamin 'Jay' Tolosa Jr. stated that any issues involving Matibag outside the impeachment case should not impact the proceedings. Meanwhile, House prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel 'Chel' Diokno indicated that the prosecution team remains prepared for any questions from senator-judges.
