NBI chief: Evidence used in Sara's impeachment case is authenticated

NBI Director Melvin Matibag said on 1 May, videos submitted as evidence in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte are authentic after Sara’s legal counsel calls it a “curated splice.”

NBI reportedly outlined the verification process, including coordination with Meta Platforms to preserve the original URL to detect any modification, and identified none.

Meanwhile, they also confirmed that the Vice President had contracted an assassin to carry out her threat to kill Marcos, his wife, and his cousin.

“A threat to the president is a threat to our national security and the entire government, not just to PBBM but to any president,” Matibag said in Filipino.

However, the supposed assassin has not yet been identified, said Matibag, adding that they remain certain that someone did make contact.

On the other hand, Lawyer Paul Lawrence Lim reacted to NBI’s claim and said, “These cannot be the foundation for probable cause, much less a prima facie case with reasonable certainty of conviction. Simply repeating a conclusion, no matter how vehemently, does not make it true,” Lim said.

The impeachment trial on 29 April focused on the televised assassination threats made by Sara against the President, First Lady Liza Marcos, and former speaker Martin Romualdez, on 23 November 2024.

Moreover, Matibag revealed that they are reviewing a series of statements and behavior not only from the vice president but also from the entire family, issuing Administrative Order 11 to properly handle the set internal rules, procedures, and investigation guidelines.