The Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte resumes for its eighth day, with National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag expected to testify on allegations involving “grave threats.” Multiple reports say Matibag arrives at the Senate to attend the proceedings and that his testimony is tied to impeachment Article IV, which concerns the claim of betrayal of public trust.
Before the testimony, Matibag asked prosecutors to move his appearance to an earlier date because of a planned regional summit on scams and transnational organized crime in Thailand, hosted by the FBI and the Royal Thai Police. A proposal to present him ahead of his scheduled date faced objections from senator-judges and the defense panel. The Senate impeachment court then rules to move Matibag’s testimony to July 20.
One report also says Matibag indicates he will skip the Bangkok summit, stating that he is scheduled to appear as a witness in the impeachment trial on July 21. Another report frames the dispute as Matibag responding to remarks by a senator-judge about alleged influence over court scheduling.
