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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Senate Impeachment Court defers bid to present Matibag as witness

Senate Impeachment Court defers bid to present Matibag as witness

Published Jul 13, 2026 05:11 pm

At A Glance

  • The Senate Impeachment Court deferred on Monday, July 13 the House prosecution panel's request to present National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag as a witness in the ongoing trial of Vice President Sara Duterte ahead of his scheduled appearance after some senator-judges and the defense team objected to the proposal.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (House of Representatives, PPAB)
NBI Director Melvin Matibag (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (House of Representatives, PPAB)
The Senate Impeachment Court deferred on Monday, July 13 the House prosecution panel’s request to present National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag as a witness in the ongoing trial of Vice President Sara Duterte ahead of his scheduled appearance after some senator-judges and the defense team objected to the proposal.
This, after House prosecutor and Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor requested that Matibag’stestimony and questioning be scheduled on Tuesday, July 14 since he is set to attend a two-day conference in Thailand with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Royal Thai Police next week.
Matibag was supposed to testify on Article IV of the Articles for Impeachment, which deals with the alleged threats Duterte made against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. 
Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano, however, questioned Matibag’s request saying it would set a bad precedent to other potential witnesses in the ongoing trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The Impeachment Court, on its second week, was scheduled to hear the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief of cybercrime division, Jeremy Lotoc; Zuleika Lopez, Duterte’s chief of staff, and Capt. Belinda Bello, Legislative Security Bureau Executive Director of the House of Representatives Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian also seconded Cayetano’s stance, saying it is not right if witnesses are suddenly inserted in the prepared list of witnesses as senator-judges also need time to prepare for questions they can ask.
“I support the statement of Senator-Judge Alan Cayetano because not only the counsels of the prosecution and the defense are preparing, even the senator-judges are preparing,” Gatchalian said.
“And to be honest, during the weekend, many of our senator-judges studies what kidn of questions they can ask of witnesses who will be presented this week,” he pointed out.
Atty. Mark Vinluan, a member of the Vice President’s legal team, also opposed the move citing it is a violation of the five-day notice rule, which was agreed upon by both sides.
“While he was subpoenaed the week before your Honor, we are learning that he will be presented this week. So, the five-day rule, five-day notice will not be observed,” Vinluan argued, adding that it will also violate their right to cross-examine the witness intelligently. 
To this, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Impeachment Court Presiding Officer, asked that the ruling on the matter be deferred. 
“With the permission of Senator-Judge Cayetano and the Senate President, may we defer our ruling on this matter and ask the counsel for the prosecution to submit to us the letter given to you by Director Matibag for us to be able to look at it, copy furnished of course, the counsel for the respondent, so that we can adequately go over it, and hopefully come up with a ruling before the day is over,” Escudero said.

Related Tags

Senate Impeachment Court Melvin Matibag NBI Duterte impeachment case 2026
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