NBI Identifies 'Persons of Interest' in Duterte Threat Case as Impeachment Trial Continues
Investigators testify they have made progress in the probe into Vice President Sara Duterte's alleged assassination plot against President Marcos, describing the threat as active and ongoing during the 8th day of impeachment proceedings.
NBI Identifies 'Persons of Interest' in Duterte Threat Case as Impeachment Trial Continues
The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte entered its eighth day on Tuesday with investigators revealing they have identified persons of interest in their probe into alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a central issue in the proceedings that could determine her political future.
National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag testified as the prosecution's final witness on Article IV of the impeachment complaint, telling the Senate that the bureau now views Duterte's remarks as more than mere threats. The NBI considers them a serious, active, and continuing assassination plot that has become a national security concern.
From Political Allies to Adversaries
The allegations stem from a November 23, 2024 incident when Duterte, during a pre-dawn online news conference live-streamed on Facebook, stated she had spoken with an assassin to kill Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed. The remarkable escalation marked a dramatic turn in Philippine politics, given that Duterte and Marcos had won landslide victories in the 2022 elections on a UniTeam platform promising national unity.
Their alliance crumbled in 2024 over policy differences including foreign policy approaches to China and the South China Sea, as well as investigations into former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. Sara Duterte resigned from her position as Education Secretary in June 2024, citing the government's alleged mishandling of the Department of Education budget.
Investigation Expands Beyond Initial Complaints
Matibag told senator-judges that the NBI has made progress in identifying individuals Vice President Duterte allegedly communicated with following her controversial public statements. He declined to disclose their identities, stating that doing so could compromise the ongoing investigation.
The bureau has expanded its probe beyond the criminal complaints for grave threats and inciting to sedition currently pending before the Department of Justice. According to Matibag, this is no longer merely a threat but a plan, prompting the creation of a special task force to investigate what authorities consider an ongoing threat against the President.
Historic Impeachment Proceedings
The current trial represents the second time Duterte has faced impeachment. She was first impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, 2025, with 215 lawmakers voting in favor, but the Supreme Court declared that impeachment unconstitutional in July 2025 due to violations of the one-year constitutional ban, effectively aborting the trial.
The second impeachment vote occurred on May 11, 2026, when 257 House members voted to impeach Duterte, with 25 voting against, making her the first official in Philippine history to be impeached twice. The Senate has approved 92 trial days for the proceedings, with the prosecution allotted 62 trial dates and the defense receiving 30.
Defense Questions Investigation
Defense lawyers continued their scrutiny of the NBI investigation on Tuesday, requesting additional time to complete their cross-examination of Matibag. They pressed the director on how the investigation began, the legal basis for opening the probe, the collection and preservation of digital evidence, and whether investigators established that Duterte intended to carry out any alleged threat.
Because cross-examination was not finished, the House prosecution was unable to formally rest its case on Article IV and is expected to do so after questioning concludes.
Broader Allegations and Political Stakes
Article IV represents one of several charges against Duterte. The impeachment complaint also includes Article I, which accuses her of misusing P612.5 million in confidential funds: P500 million from the Office of the Vice President and P112.5 million from the Department of Education during her tenure as Education Secretary. The Commission on Audit first flagged the Office of the Vice President's use of P125 million in confidential funds in July 2023, which was fully spent within 11 days in late 2022, triggering investigations that eventually led to impeachment proceedings.
Despite the charges, a survey conducted in late May 2026 showed that 51 percent of respondents planned to vote for Sara Duterte in the 2028 presidential election, indicating she remains a frontrunner. More than 6,000 police officers were deployed around the Senate building for the opening day of the trial on July 6, 2026, as both supporters and detractors held protests in the vicinity.
A conviction would require the votes of two-thirds of all senators, or 16 of the 24 members, resulting in Duterte's removal from office and possible disqualification from holding future public office. The trial remains one of the most consequential political proceedings in the Philippines in decades, with its outcome expected to shape the country's political landscape ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
