Sara Duterte's threats predated Zuleika Lopez's detention – House prosecutors

MANILA, Philippines — House prosecutors are arguing that Vice President Sara Duterte's alleged threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials was not triggered by the detention of her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, but only disclosed during it. Benjamin "Jay" Tolosa Jr., a private prosecutor and legal spokesperson for the House prosecution panel, said National Bureau of Investigation Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc's testimony established that Duterte had allegedly spoken to someone about carrying out the threat even before Lopez was detained at the House of Representatives. "As pointed out by Lotoc, the agreement was made even before the detention. She just announced to the world that there was an agreement during that detention," Tolosa told ANC's "Headstart" on Wednesday, July 15. Lopez, along with House of Representatives security official Belinda Bello, was supposed to testify before the Senate impeachment court this week. Both were later dropped as witnesses by House prosecutors to avoid redundancy. "We determined that the intended testimonies of Zuleika Lopez as well as Capt. Bello were no longer necessary because they were already covered essentially by the first two witnesses," Tolosa said. Lopez was detained at the House after she was cited in contempt on Nov. 20, 2024, for "undue interference" in the House Blue Ribbon Committee into Duterte's alleged misuse of confidential funds. The contempt citation stemmed from a letter Lopez signed and sent through the Office of the Vice President to the Commission on Audit, asking it to disregard a subpoena for audit reports on the OVP's confidential expenses in 2022 and 2023. Duterte accompanied Lopez in detention and stayed in the office of her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte. In a livestreamed online press conference on Nov. 23, 2024, Duterte made the assassination remarks against Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House speaker Martin Romualdez. Duterte's defense lawyers previously argued before the Senate impeachment court that the remarks were made as a "response" to the situation involving Lopez. Tolosa said Lotoc made it clear, based on the NBI's investigation, that an alleged assassination plot was already in existence before Lopez was detained. "Ang pinakamahalaga na banggit ni Lotoc about this matter is he stated that it was clear that the agreement with the assassin to kill the President, the First Lady and then Speaker of the House was made even prior to the detention," Tolosa said. (The most important thing Lotoc mentioned about this matter is that he stated it was clear that the agreement with the assassin to kill the President, the First Lady and the then Speaker of the House was made even before the detention.) Sixth trial day. Duterte's impeachment trial entered its sixth day Wednesday, July 15, with no witnesses expected to be presented. The vice president faces four articles of impeachment, including allegations of betrayal of public trust, misuse of confidential funds, bribery, and graft and corruption. A conviction on any one article would be enough to remove Duterte from office if supported by at least two-thirds of all members of the Senate impeachment court.