An official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) failed to identify the alleged hitman supposedly referred to by Vice President Sara Duterte during the fourth day of her impeachment trial, raising questions over the agency’s investigation.
Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, former head of the NBI Cybercrime Division and now regional director of the NBI in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), testified as the prosecution’s second witness before the impeachment court.
During questioning by Senator-Judge Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV, Lotoc was asked whether the NBI had continued its investigation to identify the individual allegedly mentioned by Duterte during her online press conference on Nov. 23, 2024.
The statement became part of the impeachment proceedings after it was linked to an alleged threat involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Lotoc told the impeachment court that the NBI was unable to verify or validate information regarding the alleged individual despite interviewing personalities who heard or witnessed Duterte’s statement.
He said investigators have not established the identity of the alleged hitman and are still waiting for additional information that could help identify the person.
During the proceedings, Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo also questioned the strength of the evidence presented by the NBI.
Tulfo said the evidence appeared insufficient and suggested that the filing of the complaint had been rushed.
The impeachment court is scheduled to continue Lotoc’s testimony on Tuesday as senators proceed with the examination of the prosecution’s second witness.
The case centers on allegations presented before the impeachment court, with both the prosecution and defense expected to continue presenting evidence and witnesses as the trial moves forward.
