National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag told the House Committee on Justice Wednesday, April 29 that Vice President Sara Duterte's death threat to President Marcos "has long been established" by the agency.

Matibag's revelation arguably helped solidify the decision of the committee that same day to declare the existence of probable cause in the two active impeachment complaints against the respondent, Vice President Duterte.

"As to the threats of Vice President Sara Duterte it's already been established by the bureau, long before I came to the bureau, the record will speak for itself," Matibag told justice panel chairperson Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro.

"The threat, the grave threat and the inciting to sedition are clear, all the elements are present, and d’yan po (and about that), we’re just awaiting for the decision of the prosecution," he said.

Moreover, the NBI said it had found a “reasonable certainty of conviction” against the Vice President for inciting to sedition and multiple counts of grave threats.

One of the supposed strongest allegations against the Vice President was her Nov. 23, 2024 death threats to President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.

A video clip of the expletive-laden threat was played several times during Wednesday's hearing.

Luistro asked the NBI chief: "May we just know for the record, because you mentioned a while ago that there is a follow-up investigation, may we know the purpose of the follow-up investigation, if you have resolved already the offense of threat against the first couple and the former Speaker?"

"It’s an ongoing investigation po, if you recall, do’n po sa video ni Vice President, sinabi niya na, 'No joke,' nag-hire na siya ng assassin (in the Vice President's video, she said, 'No joke,' she hired an assassin)," replied Matibag, who was appointed NBI director only last Feb. 19.

Specifically, the vice president said she would have the three personalities killed in the event that she herself gets slain.

Later in the hearing, the justice committee members voted 53-0 (yes-no) twice to declare the two impeachment complaints against Duterte as having probable cause.

The next step is now for Luistro to sponsor the committee report on the plenary floor, where the 300-plus strong chamber has the choice to adopt or dismiss the findings. An adoption would result to the Vice President's second impeachment in as many years.

Also on Wednesday, the NBI submitted an affidavit of its investigation into the alleged death threats the Vice President made in a virtual press conference, at the House of Representatives no less.

Reading the affidavit, NBI Atty. Yentl Malicad said the bureau had properly established the three elements of inciting to sedition: first, that Duterte was not a direct participant in the act of sedition itself; second, that she did utter seditious statements; and third, that the statements were made through speech.

NBI agent John Mark Calilung also confirmed to the committee that the agency had verified and authenticated the video of the online press conference.

He attested to it as an accurate and unaltered record of what transpired, with no edits, splices, or artificial intelligence (AI) generation.

He also told the panel that Meta had complied with the bureau's request to preserve the video, which had been livestreamed by the account of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno asked whether or not the NBI had been able to identify the individual Duterte claimed to have contracted.

NBI Anti-Cybercrime Division Chief Jeremy Lotoc says that while he could not divulge specific details of the investigation, the bureau believes that they already have a lead.

“Definitely we believe na mayroon ho siyang kinausap at mayroon hong assassin na naka-assign, base po sa conversation. Based ho sa aming affidavit, VP Sara is referring to one and the same person,” he said.

(Definitely we believe that she spoke to someone and that there was an assassin assigned, based on the conversation. Based on our affidavit, VP Sara is referring to one and the same person.)

The Vice President’s camp had earlier denied contracting an assassin.