THE House prosecution on Wednesday said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag will be its final witness on the impeachment article accusing Vice President Sara Z. Duterte of making grave threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
Lead prosecutor Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro made the announcement after informing the Senate impeachment court that the prosecution was withdrawing six more witnesses, following the earlier withdrawal of Duterte’s former chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, and House Legislative Security Bureau Executive Director Capt. Belinda Bello.
“This withdrawal, Your Honor, renders Atty. Melvin Matibag, the NBI Director, as our last witness for threat, who will be testifying this coming Tuesday (July 21),” Luistro told the impeachment court.
The fourth article of impeachment accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and high crimes over her Nov. 23, 2024 statement that she had instructed someone to kill President Marcos, the First Lady and the former Speaker if she herself were killed.
The prosecution has so far presented two NBI witnesses.
NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung authenticated the video containing Duterte’s remarks after conducting a digital forensic examination.
NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc testified on the agency’s investigation, which found probable cause to recommend the filing of criminal charges against Duterte over the alleged threats.
Luistro said the prosecution was withdrawing the remaining witnesses because their testimonies had become unnecessary, citing “redundancy, surplusage, and lack of necessity.”
The withdrawn witnesses are a representative from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms and Explosives Office, journalists Mikhail Flores and Bonz Magsambol, Sheriff Abe Andres, a family member of a threat victim, and a psychiatrist.
Luistro said the PNP witness was no longer needed because the evidence had already established that authorities took Duterte’s alleged threats seriously.
“It has been shown already that the government took seriously the threat. As a matter of fact, it prompted the full-scale investigation, including the recommendation to file a criminal complaint,” she said.
She added that the journalists’ testimony had become unnecessary after Calilung authenticated the video and the defense admitted its authenticity.
The prosecution also withdrew Sheriff Andres because both parties had already acknowledged the 2011 incident in which Duterte allegedly punched him during a demolition operation.
Luistro said the testimony of a victim’s family member and a psychiatrist had likewise become unnecessary because the evidence already presented had sufficiently established the circumstances surrounding Duterte’s statements.
After Matibag’s testimony, the prosecution is expected to begin presenting evidence on the impeachment article accusing Duterte of misusing P612.5-million worth of confidential funds.
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