NBI, House officials to take witness stand first in VP Sara Duterte trial

MANILA, Philippines – The prosecution team in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will open its case with officials of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the House of Representatives taking the witness stand.

A manifestation submitted by the prosecution team to the impeachment court on Friday, July 3, a copy of which was seen by Rappler from a reliable source, names the following as its witnesses for July 6 to 8:

1. NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc
2. NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung
3. Captain Belinda Bello, Legislative Security Bureau executive director of the House of Representatives Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms

Another credible source confirmed the said list to be accurate.

The three have been listed by the prosecution as witnesses for the fourth article of impeachment, which alleges that Duterte committed culpable violation of the Constitution, high crimes, and betrayal of public trust in connection with her alleged threats to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House speaker Martin Romualdez, and her supposed efforts to incite to sedition against the government.

The pre-trial order said this impeachment article will be tackled first, and the prosecution has 11 trial dates to complete its presentation.

Lotoc and Calilung already faced the House during a clarificatory hearing in April to expound on Duterte’s kill threat against the President during a Zoom conference on November 23, 2024.

The Office of the Vice President called the past-midnight news briefing after the House committee on good government ordered the transfer of her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, from the House detention facility to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City.

Duterte addressed the media from her detention room with the lights turned off, saying House security personnel were stationed outside as she refused to comply with the transfer order.

Calilung told the House in April that the video was authentic based on the agency’s investigation.

Lotoc also said at the time that Duterte had reached out to an assassin.

Calilung and Lotoc are also listed as witnesses by the defense.

The submission of the list of witnesses for next week is in accordance with the impeachment court rule for the prosecution to make a disclosure three days before their presentation. – Rappler.com