MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) considered the possibility that Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio and her brother, Davao City’s Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, acted in concert in allegedly threatening President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., NBI director Melvin Matibag disclosed Tuesday during his testimony before the Senate impeachment court.
Appearing as the prosecution’s final witness on Article IV of the impeachment complaint, Matibag said investigators examined what they believed were striking similarities in public statements made by the Duterte siblings referring to the President’s “head”, prompting the agency to explore whether a conspiracy existed.
“Kapansin-pansin po na makikita natin na nanggagaling sa isang pamilya ang pagbabanta sa ating Pangulo. At parehas na nagre-refer sa ulo ng Pangulo,” Matibag said.
“Kung kaya naman inisip po ba namin kung meron bang kasabwat o may sabwatan sa pangyayaring ito,” he added.
Matibag testified that the investigation primarily focused on Vice President Duterte-Carpio’s Nov. 23, 2024 statement claiming she had instructed someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.
“Sapagkat gaya po ng aking binanggit na noong November 23, binanggit po ng ating Bise Presidente na meron na siyang kinausap para pumatay sa ating Pangulo at pumayag siya. Kaya ito po ang amin pong tinutukan sa task force na aming tinatag,” he said.
The NBI chief also pointed to Mayor Duterte’s remarks during an April rally, where he said they only wanted Marcos’ “head”, as well as the Vice President’s earlier statement about wanting to “cut off his head.”
According to Matibag, investigators concluded that the Vice President’s statements appeared to go beyond a mere threat because they allegedly referred to an existing plan.
“Ang obserbasyon po namin dito ay hindi na po itong banta kung hindi isang plano. Sapagkat ang tingin po namin dito ay inanunsyo ng ating Bise Presidente ang kanyang planong pagpatay sa Pangulo ng Pilipinas at mga nabanggit pang gustong ipapatay doon sa kanyang press conference,” he said.
Matibag said the NBI formed a special task force to investigate the alleged threats, stressing that any threat against the President is also considered a threat to national security.
Article IV of the impeachment complaint accuses Duterte-Carpio of making grave threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Romualdez, and of inciting sedition through her public statements./PN
