The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, July 22, challenged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to disclose details of its investigation into her alleged threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., arguing before the Senate impeachment court that "the truth" should not be treated as confidential.

During the continuation of his cross-examination of NBI Director Melvin Matibag, defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan repeatedly questioned the bureau's decision to withhold information about its ongoing investigation, particularly potential leads on the alleged person contracted to kill the President.

"Don't you believe that ang katotohanan ay hindi (the truth is not) confidential?" Vinluan asked, referring to the records that Matibag said the NBI could not disclose because they were confidential.

Matibag responded that the NBI is bound by legal procedures and cannot simply reveal information if doing so would violate the law.

"Meron po tayong proseso na sinusunod. Kung ito man ay totoo at ito ay magva-violate po sa batas, baka hindi po yata natin dapat itong gawin (We have a process to follow. If this is true and it would violate the law, then perhaps we should not proceed with it)," he said.

Vinluan then asked Matibag whether the NBI would comply if the Senate impeachment court subpoenaed the bureau's leads on the alleged contracted killer.

Matibag said the NBI would "first study" any subpoena issued by the impeachment court before deciding how to respond.

"Pag-aaralan po natin kung naaayon sa batas ay pwede natin ipagbigay-alam sa impeachment court na ito (We will study whether it is in accordance with the law, and if so, we may inform this impeachment court)," he added.

Vinluan also questioned the bureau's handling of the investigation, including its reliance on the affidavit of self-confessed Davao Death Squad member Arturo Lascañas.

Matibag said investigators were unable to subpoena Lascañas because his whereabouts remain unknown.

He added that the NBI did not immediately accept Lascañas' affidavit. Instead, investigators evaluated it using five credibility factors before determining that it was credible.

The defense likewise challenged the NBI's interpretation of Duterte's controversial Oct. 18, 2024, remarks, in which she said she imagined herself cutting off the President's head.

Asked whether Duterte could have been speaking in jest, Matibag said he could not speculate on the Vice President's state of mind.

However, he maintained that investigators could not simply disregard such statements, noting that even bomb jokes are treated seriously by law enforcement.

While acknowledging that a crime is committed only when a plan to kill is carried out, Matibag said the NBI has a broader mandate to protect national security.

He told the impeachment court that the bureau continues to view the alleged threat against President Marcos as an ongoing concern.

Matibag also declined to identify the persons of interest in the investigation, saying only that the list had been narrowed to individuals allegedly within the Vice President's circle.

The NBI chief maintained that while the defense seeks greater disclosure, investigators must balance transparency with their obligation to protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation and comply with existing laws.

Matibag returned to the witness stand for the continuation of the cross-examination by the respondent's counsel.