VP trial day 9: Defense to continue NBI chief Matibag’s cross-examination

National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag takes his oath as he testifies before the impeachment court trying Vice President Sara Duterte. (PRIB/Senate of the Philippines) MANILA, Philippines – National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag will continue to testify before the Senate impeachment court on the Day 9 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Wednesday. The defense’s cross-examination on Matibag began on Tuesday, but was cut short after the defense requested for its continuation on Wednesday. Defense counsel Mark Vinluan made the motion, reasoning that it needed more preparation for its questions to the NBI director after the House prosecution presented documents marked for a different impeachment article. Article continues after this advertisement The defense was likewise furnished a copy of the document, which is the affidavit of former Davao Death Squad member and police officer Arturo Lascañas, presented by the prosecution for the identification of Matibag. Matibag pointed out excerpts from the document that indicated Duterte’s “patterns of violence,” cited in the NBI’s investigation of the threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The Senate impeachment court is also set to issue new subpoenas for the first witnesses of impeachment Article I, or Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds – the second of the impeachment articles that the court will tackle. These witnesses include Marivic Pareja, chief of the Legislative Archives and Museum Management Service of the House of Representatives; Violeta Constantino, former branch manager of LandBank of the Philippines (LBP) Shaw boulevard branch and Nenita Camposano, former branch manager of LBP Department of Education branch. They were initially issued subpoenas to appear before the impeachment court on Wednesday, but the court advised against their appearance due to the continuation of Matibag’s cross-examination. /gsg Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.