Manila: The Senate impeachment court on Monday night ruled to move the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag to July 20, allowing him to appear before the impeachment court before departing later that day for an official engagement in Bangkok, Thailand.
According to Philippines News Agency, the House prosecution earlier asked the impeachment court to allow Matibag to testify ahead of the scheduled witness lineup after the NBI chief sought an earlier appearance because of his participation in a regional summit on scam center compounds and transnational organized crime on July 21-22. The request drew objections from the defense, which argued that changing the order of witnesses on short notice would be prejudicial, while some senator-judges also expressed concern over altering the witness schedule.
The matter was revisited later in the day when Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian proposed that Matibag instead be subpoenaed to appear on July 20. Gatchalian said the revised schedule would give senator-judges additional time to review the evidence while allowing the NBI chief to catch an evening flight to Bangkok.
"Pursuant to the discussion on the subpoena for NBI Director Melvin Matibag, and pursuant to the discussion with Senator-Judge Alan Cayetano and myself, and to give ample time to the senator-judges to study, to look at the pieces of evidence, as well as to propound their questions, may I propose to let him come to the Senate on Monday," Gatchalian said. He added that if Matibag's testimony could not be completed on July 20, the impeachment court could require him to return after the official engagement.
Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero, presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court, approved the proposal but stressed that Matibag's testimony must continue until both parties have completed their examinations. "With the understanding, of course, Senate President Gatchalian, that the testimony of the witness given in direct examination will be meaningless unless he is thoroughly cross-examined by the other party," Escudero said.
He stated that if Matibag's testimony is not completed on July 20, it will resume on the next trial date until the cross-examination, redirect examination, and, if necessary, recross examination have all been completed. With no objections from the senator-judges, Escudero approved Gatchalian's motion and ordered that a subpoena be issued directing Matibag to appear before the Senate impeachment court at 2 p.m. on July 20.
Matibag is expected to testify on the NBI's investigation into Vice President Sara Duterte's Nov. 23, 2024 remarks in which she said she had contracted someone to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed. His testimony is expected to cover the bureau's findings and the criminal complaints that stemmed from the incident.
