Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano questioned the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) handling of its investigation into Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
During the fifth day of the impeachment trial on Tuesday, July 14, Cayetano raised concerns over the NBI’s decision to assign the investigation to its Anti-Cybercrime Division instead of its anti-terrorism or intelligence units.
Cayetano said authorities should have prioritized the security implications of Duterte’s statements, which were made during an online briefing on Nov. 23, 2024.
“Whether I was the Presidential Security Command (PSC), the Executive Secretary, NBI, or an ordinary citizen, my first concern is huwag mapatay ang Presidente,” Cayetano said.
“But instead of the NBI director taking it upon himself and giving it to the anti-terrorist or to the intelligence (division), sa cyber crime binigay,” he added.
Cayetano questioned the classification of the case, saying Duterte’s statements should have been treated as a possible threat against the country’s top officials.
“May nagsabi na sa Presidente, ‘papatayin kita.’ How much plainer can that be as an assassination plot?” he said.
He also expressed hope that government agencies would adopt a different approach in handling similar security concerns in the future.
“I hope if any one of my colleagues here becomes President, magbago ’yung attitude ng NBI. Mas importante pala ang cyber(crime) kaysa sa buhay ng Presidente,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano also questioned NBI-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, who headed the NBI Anti-Cybercrime Division investigation into Duterte’s statements.
The senator-judge pressed Lotoc on the concept of “admissions against interest,” arguing that Duterte’s statements should be considered in their entirety and not separated from the rest of her remarks.
Cayetano cited three instances involving Duterte: her Nov. 23, 2024 statements regarding the President, First Lady, and then-House Speaker; her handling of financial disbursements during her term as Department of Education secretary; and her statement urging the public to remain calm amid calls for a people power movement.
Lotoc maintained that Duterte made an admission against interest only in a Nov. 26, 2024 video where she confirmed making the earlier statements.
Earlier in the proceedings, Lotoc defined admission against interest as a statement made by a person that could harm their own interest but is acknowledged instead of denied.
Cayetano questioned why the NBI considered only Duterte’s remarks about the alleged threats as an admission against interest while not giving the same weight to her statements that she was being targeted and her call against a people power movement.
“If you say it’s an admission against interest and you believe it, you also have to believe na papatayin siya nung tatlo,” Cayetano told Lotoc.
He added that if Duterte’s statements were being assessed as a whole, her other claims and remarks should also be considered.
When Lotoc attempted to clarify his response on whether other statements made by Duterte qualified as admissions against interest, Cayetano pointed out that the witness had already provided an answer.
“Let the record speak for itself,” Cayetano said.
Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN
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