National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc clarified that “Operation Romanov” was originally invoked as a warning directed at the family of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., not Vice President Sara Duterte.
Lotoc made the clarification during his cross-examination at the continuation of Duterte’s impeachment trial.
The defense had argued that Duterte’s statements during her November 23, 2024 online press conference were made in response to a question about an alleged “Operation Romanov” supposedly targeting her and her family.
The press conference is at the center of the fourth article of impeachment, which accuses Duterte of making grave threats and committing betrayal of public trust after she declared that she had instructed someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez should she herself be killed.
Defense counsel Mark Vinluan read into the record a question raised by pro-Duterte online personality Princess Maui, who warned the Vice President about an alleged “Operation Romanov” supposedly aimed at eliminating her family.
Lotoc, however, said he first heard the term “Romanov” from Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte during a Maisug rally. He added that investigators found no validated information supporting the existence of such an operation.
“Narinig ko ’yung term na Romanov noong binigkas ni Mayor Baste noong January during Maisug rally. Other than that, wala akong na-validate about Romanov operation,” Lotoc testified.
Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo then asked Lotoc to recall what Mayor Duterte had said during the rally.
Lotoc testified that the mayor invoked the fate of the Russian royal family as a warning to the incumbent First Family.
“When you go to bed tonight, think about the Romanovs. ‘Yun po yata ’yung pagkasabi. Parang sinasabi niya na baka mangyari sa pamilya niyo ’yun, gaya ng nangyari sa inyo noong 1986. Kung tama ’yung memory ko, sir, parang ganoon po ang sinasabi ni Mayor Baste,” Lotoc told Tulfo.
Tulfo said he found it curious that Princess Maui later described “Romanov” as a threat against the Duterte family during the Vice President’s online press conference.
“Nagtataka ako na binanggit ’yan ni Princess Maui doon sa online press conference ni VP Sara, ’yung Romanov na banta para sa mga Duterte. When in fact, it was Baste Duterte ang nagbitaw ng salita na ’yun, warning sa First Family,” Tulfo said.
Asked again where the “Romanov” reference originated, Lotoc pointed to Mayor Duterte’s remarks.
“Yeah, insofar as our investigation is concerned, since nag-start ’yan doon kay Mayor Baste, at wala ho kaming ma-validate na ibang Romanov operations na nangyari, I think nag-start ’yan sa kanila, sir, sa kapatid ng Vice President,” he testified.
Tulfo later reiterated his point before the impeachment court.
“‘Yung threat na ’yun, ’yung Romanov na salita, it was used to warn as a threat to the First Family. The word Romanov came from the mouth of Mayor Baste Duterte na parang binabantaan niya ’yung First Family. You follow me, Mr. Witness?” he asked.
“Yes, sir. Tama po ’yun,” Lotoc replied.
Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson later revisited the issue, saying he had previously understood the alleged operation as a threat against Duterte.
“I don’t know about the other senator-judges, but— pero, uh, until today, when Senator Judge Raffy Tulfo clarified, opo, na yung palang Oplan Romanov, eh, threat against the First Family,” Lacson said.
Lotoc responded in the affirmative.
“Ang impression ko, since last week, you know, nung pinag-uusapan natin yung Oplan Romanov, eh, threat ito against the Vice President,” Lacson said.
Earlier, Lotoc told the impeachment court that the NBI had invited Princess Maui to appear during its investigation and shed light on her allegation, but she failed to do so.
“Nag-invite kami kay Princess Maui… ang sabi ng investigator, hindi daw siya nag-appear,” he said.
The defense later asked whether the NBI conducted a separate investigation into the alleged Operation Romanov.
Lotoc said the Cybercrime Division’s investigation was limited to offenses involving information and communications technology. He added that any inquiry into the existence of such an operation would fall under the NBI’s intelligence service or the bureau’s leadership.