The breakdown of Vice President Sara Duterte’s relationship with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was the “most convincing” motive behind her alleged threats against the President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a National Bureau of Investigation official told the Senate impeachment court.
NBI-BARMM Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc made the statement after Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero asked whether the bureau had found prima facie evidence to support criminal complaints against Duterte.
“Yes, Your Honor, based on our findings, we believe that the Vice President committed a crime of grave threat and inciting to sedition. There is prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction,” Lotoc said.
Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo then asked what convinced the NBI to file charges against the Vice President.
Lotoc pointed to the deterioration of Duterte’s relationship with Marcos and her statements against him.
“Nagkaroon ng hindi magandang relasyon ’yung dalawa. And then, nagbato na ang Bise Presidente ng mga salitang mabibigat laban sa Presidente. Pinapakita doon sa October 18 video na toxic na nga ’yung relationship nila. Galit na galit si Sara dahil sinasabi ng Bise Presidente na politically motivated ’yung pag-attack sa kanya,” Lotoc said.
“The President and the Vice President had a bad relationship. And then, the Vice President hurled unsavory words against the President. It was shown in the October 18 video that their relationship had gone toxic. Sara was very mad, saying that the attacks on her were politically motivated,” he added.
Lotoc said the conflict eventually led to Duterte’s alleged threats against Marcos, the First Lady, and Romualdez.
Asked whether the NBI had found evidence that Duterte had the capability to carry out the threats, Lotoc said the matter was better addressed by the bureau’s Intelligence Division.
He explained that his team, then under the Cybercrime Division, focused on possible grave threats and inciting to sedition.
“Well, Your Honor, inciting to sedition, in our investigation, we were able to establish that those utterances from 18 October 2024, and November 23, 2024, and other facts and circumstances, even in November 26, 2024, we believe those utterances have tendency,” Lotoc said.
“Your Honor, to stir up the people to go against the government, has a tendency to disturb the public peace, the peace of the community and has a tendency to undermine public safety and public order. I think that’s the element of inciting to sedition,” he added.
Lotoc maintained that the NBI had assembled sufficient evidence against Duterte.
“The piece of evidence that we attached or we incorporated in our investigation is sufficient and has satisfied the requirements of the quantum of evidence required, which is prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction,” he said.
“And the fact that the Department of Justice has issued a certification stating your referral, your transmittal, has complied with all the elements of the crime charged, and therefore good for preliminary investigation,” Lotoc added.