Duterte Trial Day 4: NBI exec to testify on alleged hitman contract

MANILA, Philippines — The second week of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial will open on Monday with the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc.

Lotoc will be the second witness presented at the trial by the House prosecution panel, after the court finished examining senior NBI agent John Mark Calilung in the first three days of the proceedings.

On Day 4 of the trial, the court will continue to tackle impeachment article number four, referring to Duterte’s alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and inciting to sedition charge.

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READ: ICYMI: Sara Duterte impeachment trial Week 1 highlights

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The first case pertains to the online press briefing on November 2024 wherein the vice president said she had already contracted an individual to take down Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez

Complementary to Calilung, who preserved and verified through digital forensics the video of Duterte revealing the assassination plot, Lotoc is anticipated to testify regarding the existence of the supposed contracted “hitman.”

Lotoc had already previously confirmed the existence of an alleged assassin upon preliminary investigation, when the House Committee on Justice was hearing Duterte’s impeachment complaints.

Apart from the examination of witnesses, the impeachment court also scheduled on Monday the deadline for both the prosecution and the defense teams to submit their memoranda on the House request to subpoena Duterte’s bank and tax records.

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After this, both sides will be given 10 minutes each to present their oral arguments on Wednesday.

READ: Duterte impeach trial: Subpoena served to VP’s aide Zuleika Lopez

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Witnesses of the week

Two more witnesses are expected to appear before the impeachment court within the week.

The House prosecution is set to present Duterte’s aide, Zuleika Lopez, on Tuesday — as she herself was in the press conference when Duterte made the alleged threats.

House Legislative Security Bureau Executive Director Capt. Belinda Bello, on the other hand, is expected to be called to the stand on Wednesday. /apl

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