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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider NBI questioned over failure to track alleged hitman in Duterte impeachment case

NBI questioned over failure to track alleged hitman in Duterte impeachment case

Published Jul 13, 2026 06:33 pm

At A Glance

  • The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday, July 13 was questioned over its failure to identify the person Vice President Sara Duterte had allegedly contracted to eliminate President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, and two other members of his family.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday, July 13 was questioned over its failure to identify the person Vice President Sara Duterte had allegedly contracted to eliminate President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, and two other members of his family. 
NBI Regional Director for BARMM Jeremy Lotoc (Senate PRIB photo)
NBI Regional Director for BARMM Jeremy Lotoc (Senate PRIB photo)
Given the gravity of the statements uttered by the vice president in the online press conference last Nov. 23, 2024, Senator-Judge Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV said the NBI should have investigated the matter thoroughly and established concrete findings.
“My question is focused on the person who was spoken to or allegedly contracted by Vice President Sara Duterte to kill the President, First Lady (Liza Araneta-Marcos), and former (House) Speaker (Martin Romualdez). Did you continue the investigation to find this person?” Aquino asked NBI-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim MIndanao (ARMM) Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc.
Lotoc was the second witness presented by the House prosecution panel on Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment that pertains to the Vice President’s grave threats against the President and his family.
In response, Lotoc admitted that the agency had failed to validate or confirm the details regarding the alleged hitman despite issuing subpoenas to media personalities who witnessed the online press conference.
“We asked, we tried to elicit information, both from those people who have personal information during the online press conference. Unfortunately, we could not establish a validated information,” Lotoc said in response to Aquino’s query.
“In fact, until now we are still waiting (for validated information),” he said.
Aquino noted that while the actual broadcast documented Duterte’s barrage of statements, the NBI’s failure to identify the supposed hitman leaves the threat unverified.
“So what you mean is that, as the NBI, you were not able to find this person, but you based your assessment on the statement because it was literally stated by the Vice President,” the senator-judge pointed out.
But Lotoc reasoned out that the NBI treated Duterte’s remarks with absolute seriousness due to the extreme anger and profanity she displayed during the online press conference.

Related Tags

Jeremy Lotoc NBI Duterte impeachment case 2026 Senate Impeachment Court Sara Duterte Bam Aquino
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