In the impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte, a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) official testifies that the alleged threats made by Duterte are “serious, real, and actual.” According to reports, NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc—who previously led the agency’s Cybercrime Division—gives this assessment during his testimony on Monday. The impeachment trial addresses Duterte’s alleged grave threats and incitement to sedition directed at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Both outlets report that Lotoc’s characterization is based on how investigators evaluate the nature of Duterte’s statements, which were made during a November 23, 2024 online press conference. Duterte’s remarks include claims that a hitman would be hired to kill the three individuals if certain conditions occurred, which forms the basis of the threats described in the impeachment case.
The reports describe the NBI official’s statements in court but do not include the full evidentiary discussion or conclusions reached beyond the assessment of the threats’ credibility and gravity.
