NBI Witness Fails to Support “Grave Threat” Charges Against VP Sara Duterte

On the witness stand, NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc underwent rigorous cross-examination by Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense attorney, Atty. Mark Vinluan.

NBI Witness Fails to Support “Grave Threat” Charges Against VP Sara Duterte

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | July 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – In a significant development during the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, July 13, 2026, a key prosecution witness from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conceded an inability to produce validated information substantiating the “grave threat” charges.

NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc’s testimony before the impeachment court indicated a lack of confirmed evidence regarding an alleged plot by Vice President Duterte against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Atty. Lotoc, who previously headed the NBI Cybercrime Division that initially investigated the matter, stated, “Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to establish or confirm any validated information. In fact, we are still waiting.” He contrasted this with cases where the “apparent commission of the crime” is evident through concrete evidence like video footage. This admission emerged when Senator Bam Aquino questioned the NBI’s progress in identifying a supposed contract killer, as alluded to in previous allegations.

Despite the absence of concrete findings, Lotoc affirmed the NBI’s serious approach to investigating remarks made by high-ranking officials. He emphasized the gravity of the Vice President’s statements, particularly given their angry and profane delivery, prompting the NBI to consider the matter with utmost seriousness.

The NBI also posited a belief that the Vice President might have communicated with the alleged “hitman” prior to a virtual press conference on November 23, 2024, based on her demeanor.

However, the defense counsel, Atty. Mark Vinluan, vehemently denied the allegation of a contracted hitman, stating, “We deny that, Your Honor… That is not accurate, Your Honor, and we will present evidence or counter-evidence to prove that.”

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri sought further clarification on a direct denial from Vice President Duterte, to which Vinluan affirmed that such a denial exists, reserving the right to present corresponding evidence. The defense also announced plans to introduce witnesses to establish the existence of “Operation Romanov,” an alleged assassination plot against Vice President Duterte and her family.

Crucially, Atty. Lotoc confirmed that the NBI has not generated a written investigation report nor issued any recommendations concerning alleged threats against the Vice President, attributing this to the lack of validated or confirmed information. He stated, “Since we don’t have any validated information, we haven’t seen anything confirmed in the alleged threats against her life; we haven’t started anything.”

While the prosecution argued that Vice President Duterte’s alleged threats fell outside the protection of freedom of speech, citing that it does not shield utterances constituting criminal offenses, the NBI’s inability to establish factual corroboration for the core “grave threat” charges presents a significant challenge for their case. The trial is set to resume today, July 14, 2026, with further testimonies.

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