No ‘hitman’ found, impeach court told
Aquino noted that while Duterte’s statements were clearly captured on video, the failure to identify the alleged hitman meant that aspect of the threat remained unverified.
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Daily TribuneAquino noted that while Duterte’s statements were clearly captured on video, the failure to identify the alleged hitman meant that aspect of the threat remained unverified.
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SENATOR Bam Aquino elicited from NBI official Jeremy Lotoc the admission that the bureau failed to identify the alleged assassin purportedly contracted by Vice President Sara Duterte.
PHOTOGRAPHS by Aram Lascano FOR DAILY TRIBUNE
An official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) admitted before the Senate impeachment court on Monday that it has yet to identify or verify the alleged hitman Vice President Sara Duterte claimed she had contracted to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The admission was made by NBI-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional director Jeremy Lotoc, who took the witness stand for the prosecution in support of Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of making grave threats and inciting to sedition.
Questioned by Senator-Judge Bam Aquino, Lotoc acknowledged that despite issuing subpoenas to media personalities who attended Duterte’s online press conference, investigators failed to validate the identity of the supposed assassin.
“My question is focused on the person who was spoken to or allegedly contracted by Vice President Sara Duterte to kill the President, First Lady and former Speaker. Did you continue the investigation to find this person?” Aquino asked.
Lotoc replied that the bureau was unable to identify the individual but stressed the investigation remains open while authorities await additional information.
Aquino noted that while Duterte’s statements were clearly captured on video, the failure to identify the alleged hitman meant that aspect of the threat remained unverified.
Despite this, Lotoc maintained that the bureau considered Duterte’s statements “alarming, disturbing and serious” after analyzing the manner in which they were delivered, their literal meaning, the nature of the alleged instruction, and the relationship among the parties involved.
The NBI also reviewed Duterte’s previous public statements to determine whether the remarks formed part of a broader pattern.
He said investigators concluded the threats were genuine and not mere jokes.
“Basically, it’s indicative of intent, that the utterances were deliberately made by the Vice President. It really shows serious, actual and real threat,” he said.
“It shows persistence on the part of the Vice President, that she was determined to carry out those utterances and, from the point of view of a law enforcement agency like the NBI, it’s alarming for us,” he added.
Lotoc also warned that Duterte’s remarks could embolden other individuals or groups to carry out the alleged instruction.
The hearing also saw the defense question several “inconsistencies” in the NBI’s documentary evidence.
Senator Imee Marcos pointed to discrepancies between the date of Duterte’s press conference and the dates reflected in the NBI’s investigation forms, subpoenas and affidavit.
Defense lawyer Mark Vinluan likewise cited an affidavit that incorrectly stated Duterte had resigned as secretary of the Department of Justice instead of the Department of Education, while also questioning differing docket numbers appearing on NBI and Department of Justice documents.
Lotoc described the mistakes as typographical errors.
