Prosecution: We won’t meddle in Matibag’s issues with senator-judges

MANILA, Philippines — Members of the prosecution panel have made it clear that they would not meddle in any dispute that National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag has with senator-judges. Their focus, they explained, is solely on the impeachment investigation of Vice President Sara Duterte. Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesperson for the prosecution panel, and Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr., counsel for the prosecutors, stated that their objective is to gather testimony from Matibag relevant to Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment. This article pertains to threats allegedly made by the Vice President in an online press briefing on November 23, 2024, where she reportedly discussed killing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed. "What we would expect (from) Director Matibag to respond to the question by both panels, we would expect him to inform the court, or appraise the court, based on the knowledge that he has surrounding the preliminary investigation," Alonto Adiong said. "So ‘yon po ‘yong ine-expect natin, in fact hindi lang ho ine-expect, ‘yon po ‘yong ipapakita natin sa taumbayan at ipe-presenta sa korte. Now kung ano man po ‘yong mga other issues, I don’t think it should […] the House prosecution panel also should intervene in matters that are internal between and among individuals." Tolosa added that the determination of appropriate and relevant questions for Matibag rests with the Presiding Officer and Senator-judge Francis Escudero. The prosecution's priority, he emphasized, is ensuring Matibag shares all material facts concerning the NBI's investigation into the grave threat allegations. These statements come amidst reports of a feud between Matibag and Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano. The dispute reportedly began after Cayetano's election as Senate President on May 11, 2026, and involved an incident where gunshots were heard in the Senate halls. Cayetano had blamed Matibag, a claim Matibag denied. The feud appears to have been reignited following Matibag's recent announcement that the NBI is investigating issues surrounding the Philippines' hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, an event for which Cayetano chaired the organizing committee. Cayetano has suggested that Matibag's actions are an attempt to intimidate him as he faces questioning in the impeachment court. Matibag is slated to be the prosecution's final witness for Article IV. The prosecution is also set to present evidence and witnesses for Article I, which concerns the alleged misuse of confidential funds by the Vice President. Source: Inquirer NewsInfo