The next National Bureau of Investigation witness in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial is expected to explain how the bureau investigated videos containing her alleged threats and why the case was referred to the Department of Justice, House prosecutor Leila de Lima said.
De Lima said NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung had already established the authenticity of the video recordings presented by the prosecution.
Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, the lead agent in the NBI investigation, is expected to testify on how the bureau examined the recordings, the results of its inquiry, and the basis for its findings.
“We can only give the general look of the testimony. Kasi okay si Senior Agent Calilung, yung pundasyon, si Senior Agent Calilung ay napatunayan nga na tunay ‘yung video recording, authentic. Ang mangyayari naman ngayon, in the case of Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, who is a seasoned NBI investigator, a lawyer, NBI lawyer, sasabihin naman niya bakit at paano nila sinuri ‘yung mga ebidensya. Yung mga video na pinakita at in-authenticate sa testimony ni Senior Agent Calilung,” De Lima said.
“So ano yung istorya doon? Ano yung naging resulta ng kanilang imbestigasyon?” she added.
The prosecution began presenting evidence under Article IV of the impeachment complaint through NBI testimony concerning the videos allegedly showing Duterte making threatening remarks.
De Lima said Lotoc headed the team that investigated the alleged threats and conducted follow-up inquiries after the bureau’s open-source investigation.
“Because he is the head agent of the team that investigated the threats. And siyempre kasama ‘yun yung mga video. So yun bakit sinuri, ano yung resulta ng pagsusuri ng kanilang mga imbestigasyon, yung kanilang mga follow-up investigation din. Kasi nga si Senior Agent Calilung, he mentioned about yung mga open source investigation and then susundan din ito ng Atty. Jeremy Lotoc,” she said.
She said Lotoc’s testimony would corroborate Calilung’s account while providing further details on the investigation and the basis for the NBI’s decision to forward the case to the DOJ.
“So he will both be corroborating as well as adding certain aspects to the testimony of Agent Calilung. Lalo na doon sa pinaka-imbestigasyon mismo at ano ang resulta, ano yung basehan nung kanilang konklusyon kung bakit ni-refer nila, ni-forward nila sa DOJ,” De Lima said.
Lotoc is also expected to discuss the investigators’ finding that probable cause existed for a grave threats case.
“So meron silang finding na ito ay grave threats, na ito ay merong probable cause at the level of the investigators for a grave threats case. So kasama po yan,” De Lima said.
She added that his testimony would likely cover the circumstances, conditions and seriousness of the alleged threats, as well as the context established by the investigation.
“Ano yung mga circumstances, ano yung mga conditions, ano yung seriousness nung mga pagbabanta na yun? Ano ‘yung umiiral na konteksto doon sa pagbabanta given the results of their investigation?” she said.