Prosecution: We won’t meddle in Matibag’s issues with senator-judges

Prosecution panel spokesperson, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong. MANILA, Philippines — Members of the prosecution panel have made it clear that they would not meddle in any dispute that National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag has with senator-judges, saying that the reason they sought his testimony was for their investigation of Vice President Sara Duterte. In a press briefing on Monday, both prosecution panel spokesperson, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, and counsel for prosecutors Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said that their focus is only on the NBI’s investigation of Duterte’s threats, which forms part of Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment. Article IV deals with Duterte’s threats made in a November 23, 2024 online press briefing, where the Vice President said she had talked to a person about killing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez if she herself gets killed. Article continues after this advertisement READ: Matibag: Cayetano may be subpoenaed in 2019 SEA Games probe “What we would expect (from) Director Matibag to respond to the question by both panels, we would expect him to inform the court, or appraise the court, based on the knowledge that he has surrounding the preliminary investigation,” Alonto Adiong said. “So ‘yon po ‘yong ine-expect natin, in fact hindi lang ho ine-expect, ‘yon po ‘yong ipapakita natin sa taumbayan at ipe-presenta sa korte. Now kung ano man po ‘yong mga other issues, I don’t think it should […] the House prosecution panel also should intervene in matters that are internal between and among individuals,” he added. READ: NBI probes ‘ghost’ flood control projects in Cayetano bailiwick Taguig Tolosa, meanwhile, said that they are leaving it up to Presiding Officer and Senator-judge Francis Escudero to decide what kind of questions should be asked of Matibag—what inquiries will fall within the setting of an impeachment trial. Article continues after this advertisement “We will leave it to the Presiding Officer to determine what questions that may be posed by the senator-judges would be considered to be appropriate and relevant to the matter at hand,” Tolosa said. “But again, insofar as we’re concerned for the prosecution, we remain focused on making sure that NBI Director Matibag will be able to share all material facts with respect to the topic at hand, which is doon sa grave threat. So he will be sharing the important investigation conducted by the NBI in relation to this matter,” he added. Article continues after this advertisement Alonto Adiong and Tolosa’s statements came after they were asked about Matibag’s feud with Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano — a spat that started when Cayetano was elected Senate President last May 11, 2026. Two days after Cayetano’s election, gunshots were heard inside the Senate halls, with the former Senate leader claiming that they were under attack — hence, the response from the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA), then under former Sergeant-at-Arms Ma.O Aplasca. Cayetano blamed Matibag, saying that the OSAA staffers only fired a warning shot to NBI agents inside the Senate premises. However, Matibag insisted that NBI personnel were not inside the Senate; rather, they were at the adjacent Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) building. The Senate sits inside the GSIS complex in Pasay City. Eventually, police investigators said that the actions of Aplasca, a former member of the Philippine National Police (PNP), were an overkill. READ: CIDG chief: What Aplasca, team did was ‘an overkill’ The Office of the Ombudsman last July 7 announced that Aplasca has been dismissed due to grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty. READ: Aplasca’s dismissal due to grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty While the spat between Matibag and Cayetano seemed to simmer down, it appeared to have been reignited once again after the NBI chief said that they are investigating issues surrounding the Philippines’ hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Cayetano was head of the panel that organized the SEA Games. According to him, Matibag is trying to intimidate him as the latter will be subjected to questioning under the impeachment court. Cayetano also questioned the timing of the planned probe, as Matibag has been called as a witness by the prosecution panel. READ: Cayetano-Matibag spat revives ‘kaldero’ issue Previously, Matibag said that Cayetano was not among the individuals who are the subject of the investigation on the SEA Games. However, earlier, the NBI head said that the Senator may be subpoenaed if former Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) officials implicate him. READ: Matibag: Cayetano may be subpoenaed in 2019 SEA Games probe Matibag will be the prosecution’s final witness for Article IV, or the allegations that Duterte threatened President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. The issue stems from an online briefing last November 23, 2024, where Duterte said he has talked to someone about killing the Marcos couple and Romualdez if she herself gets killed. Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. With all but one witness recalled, discussions on the prosecution’s argument for Article IV are expected to be finished on Tuesday. After this, the prosecution will then present evidence and witnesses for Article I, or the allegation that Duterte misused confidential funds allocated to her offices. /cb