Sara Duterte's lawyers question NBI's context of 'threats' in impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines – The defense team for Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has questioned the context of statements presented by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during her impeachment trial. On the ninth day of the trial, defense lawyer Mark Vinluan played a portion of an October 2024 video where the Vice President said she imagined cutting off President Marcos Jr.'s head. NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed this was the source of the "cutting head" remarks his bureau was investigating. "Didn’t VP Sara say her statement in jest?" Vinluan asked. Lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro objected, calling the question speculative, but presiding officer Senator Chiz Escudero allowed Matibag to answer. "Again, I cannot go into the state of mind of the Vice President, and precisely the reason why that’s part of the pattern of violence. If we piece together our investigation, what we’ve watched, that’s part of…one of the five factors of the pattern of violence," Matibag responded. Vinluan pressed further, asking if the NBI had taken the Vice President’s statements out of context. "It’s hard for us law enforcement to neglect those statements…. For us law enforcement, we have to give credence to that and process it," said Matibag. The impeachment court has been hearing the fourth article of impeachment against the Vice President – grave threats. This article includes Duterte’s November 2024 press conference where she allegedly stated that if she were killed, so would Marcos Jr., Liza Araneta, and Romualdez. The prosecution and the NBI have also looked into former incidents involving the Vice President to establish her supposed history of violence. Apart from past press conferences, authorities also highlighted Duterte’s punching of Sheriff Abe Andres in Davao City when she was mayor. Andres was supposed to testify for the prosecution but was dropped as a witness along with seven others. During cross-examination, Vinluan touched upon this incident, indirectly explaining the context. He asked Matibag if Duterte punched Andres due to the sheriff's refusal to grant informal settlers a two-hour extension during a demolition in 2011. "So, in other words, are you also aware that it was the sheriff’s refusal to provide the two-hour extension? That’s why VP Sara got angry?" the defense counsel asked. "Well, that is the claim of the then-mayor," Matibag responded. Doubting Lascañas The defense also continued to cast doubt on the affidavit of self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) member Arturo Lascañas. The affidavit has been submitted to the International Criminal Court as part of the crimes against humanity case against former president Rodrigo Duterte. Lascañas claimed in his affidavit that they had allegedly received kill orders from the former president, and later, from Sara when she was Davao City mayor. Vinluan questioned Lascañas’ alleged perjury. He asked Matibag if Lascañas was the same man recommended for perjury charges by a Senate panel led by Senator Ping Lacson. Matibag stated he "didn’t hear" that Lascañas was charged. Later, Senator Lacson interjected to clarify that Lascañas had retracted and changed his testimony before the Senate, but the senator did not file a perjury complaint against him. Matibag explained that the NBI relied on Lascañas' statements to establish Duterte's alleged pattern of violence, though they did not immediately believe his claims. – Rappler.com