Apparently satisfied with what it has heard, the House prosecution panel on Wednesday afternoon, July 22 concluded National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag time on the witness stand in Vice President Sara Duterte's ongoing Senate impeachment trial.

With this, the prosecution, led by Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro, effectively concluded its presentation on the so-called death threats article from the articles of impeachment against the respondent.

“The prosecution finds it unnecessary to conduct redirect examination [on Matibag],” Luistro told presiding officer Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero.

Matibag underwent direct examination from the prosecution on Tuesday, July 21. He was cross-examined by the defense on Tuesday and Wednesday.

With the prosecution opting not to conduct redirect on the NBI chief, a re-cross was no longer possible. No other witness from the prosecution was scheduled to take the stand Wednesday, or day nine of the high-stakes trial.

Matibag was the prosecution’s third and final witness for article IV, which stemmed from Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 statement that she had arranged for someone to assassinate President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.

Before Matibag took the stand, the prosecution presented NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, who authenticated the recording of Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 online press conference; and NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc, who testified on the bureau’s investigation that led to the filing of complaints for grave threats and inciting to sedition before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The prosecution had initially listed 11 witnesses for article IV, but dropped eight witnesses in the course of the proceedings. This was in effort to shorten the trial.

Three other impeachment articles on alleged confidential funds misuse, bribery, and unexplained wealth remain on deck.

During Wednesday’s cross-examination, the defense challenged the NBI’s findings, and argued that Duterte’s statements had been taken out of context. It also questioned the bureau’s continuing investigation into the alleged threats.

Matibag stood by the NBI’s assessment. “Mahirap po para sa aming law enforcement na ’yung ganyang mga statement ay aming pong babalewalain,” he said.

(It is difficult for us in law enforcement to simply disregard such statements.)

By way of comparison, Matibag cited how airport authorities respond to bomb jokes, which are always taken seriously.

Matibag also disclosed that the NBI had investigated Duterte’s own allegations that her life was under threat and had twice invited her to participate. However, she ignored the invitations.

“I was informed by the investigating officers that it was considered, the threat that was mentioned to the Vice President. In fact, personalities were subpoenaed, including the Vice President two times, in order to aid the [NBI] in this investigation. However, to no avail, there was no attendance from the personalities that was invited,” he shared.

The NBI chief also maintained that Duterte’s own public admissions had already "consummated" betrayal of public trust, regardless of whether investigators ultimately identify the person she allegedly asked to kill President Marcos.

“The betrayal of public trust, as the issue in the impeachment court, we don’t need to investigate even if we pinpointed the person contracted,” Matibag said.

“Because the point being is, the betrayal of public trust was already been consummated when she publicly admitted, there is already an admission that she contracted a killer, a mamamatay-tao, an assassin, to kill the President,” he added.

Matibag also testified that the most significant part of Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 statement was her claim that she had already spoken to someone who agreed to carry out the killings. He distinguished it from a spontaneous expression of anger and prompting the NBI to continue investigating the identity of the alleged contact.

Matibag made the remarks after defense counsel Mark Vinluan asked whether the NBI’s continuing investigation could eventually result in another impeachment complaint against Duterte.

The witness said Duterte’s own statements were sufficient to establish the constitutional ground for impeachment. “And that itself is already an admission."

He added that such conduct runs contrary to the constitutional oath of a public official.

“Because the oath of office of the [Vice President], sabi niya, she will execute the law and do justice to every man. So ‘pag nagbalak kang pumatay, ‘pag ginawa mo ‘yan, that is not justice to every man. It’s not execute the law, execute the President ‘yung gusto mong gawin,” Matibag said.

(Because the oath of office of the Vice President, she said, is that she will execute the law and do justice to every man. So if you plan to kill, if you do that, that is not justice to every man. It’s not execute the law, it’s execute the President that you intend to do.)