NBI: Clerical Errors Don't Negate Facts in Duterte Threats Probe

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte has once again criticized the typographical errors found in the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) investigation documents concerning alleged threats made by the second-highest official against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Atty. Mark Vinluan, one of Duterte’s legal counsels, continued his cross-examination of NBI-BARMM Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc on Tuesday, the fifth day of the impeachment proceedings. "With all these infirmities and you mentioned yesterday, that your case is airtight, don’t you think that these errors constituted violations of due process?" Vinluan questioned. Lotoc, however, defended the NBI investigation, stating that the errors do not "alter the fact the Vice President uttered those statements." "Your Honor, the existence of these typographical errors does not alter the fact that the video exists; does not alter the fact the Vice President uttered those statements; does not alter the fact that the NBI mayroong findings at ang findings nila ay the VP committed the crime of grave threats and inciting to sedition," he added. The NBI had previously admitted that both the subpoena and the affidavit of investigation into Duterte’s alleged threats were mistakenly dated November 6, 2024. Lotoc, the second witness for the House prosecution panel, was summoned to testify on Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which pertains to alleged grave threats and an assassination plot targeting President Marcos, the First Lady, and former House Speaker Romualdez. He previously served as chief of the NBI Cybercrime Division, which investigated Duterte's late-night online press conference in November 2024, during which she allegedly disclosed that she had contracted an assassin should she herself be assassinated.