Sara Duterte impeachment Day 9: Defense resumes NBI chief Matibag cross-examination

The Senate impeachment court will continue hearing Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, July 22. The article covers allegations involving an assassination plot, grave threats and inciting to sedition against the president. The defense panel will resume its cross-examination of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag after the impeachment court granted its request for a continuance. After the defense concludes its questioning, the House prosecution panel will conduct its redirect examination of Matibag. This will be followed by clarificatory questions from the senator-judges. Matibag was presented by the House prosecution panel as a witness for Article IV. His testimony focused on the NBI's investigation into Duterte's remarks in November 2024, when she said she had arranged for someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed. The defense has questioned aspects of the NBI's investigation, while the prosecution has said Matibag's testimony would provide information relevant to the allegations under Article IV. Article IV was originally set to be heard for 11 days. The proceedings were shortened after the prosecution decided not to present some of its listed witnesses, including Duterte's chief of staff Zuleika Lopez and House Security Officer Capt. Belinda Bello.