Impeachment court to tackle assassination plot on Day 2 of Duterte trial

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez will come to the forefront on the second day of Duterte’s impeachment trial on Tuesday.

Of the four articles of impeachment to be covered in 92 trial days, the first to be tackled is Article IV, referring to the public declaration of Duterte wherein she revealed a supposed assassination plot against the three mentioned.

The House prosecution panel is expected to call to the witness stand two officials from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

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READ: Highlights: Day 1 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial

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NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc and Senior Agent John Mark Calilung were subpoenaed to appear before the impeachment court on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Notably, Sheila Sison, lead counsel of Duterte’s defense team, expressed their intent to object to the testimonies of the two.

To recall, Duterte made the assassination pronouncement in an online briefing on November 23, 2024, after visiting her Chief of Staff, Zuleika Lopez, when the latter was detained at the House for contempt.

Frustrated over Lopez’s detention, Duterte badmouthed the first couple and Romualdez before revealing that if she gets killed, she contracted an assassin to kill the three.

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This prompted the NBI to investigate the matter, with Calilung assigned to investigate and authenticate the veracity of the livestream. /das

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