The Senate impeachment court is set to hold the fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial on Tuesday, July 14, with proceedings continuing on Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment.
The defense panel is expected to resume its cross-examination of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, while the House prosecution panel is scheduled to present Atty. Zuleika Lopez, chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President, as its third witness.
Defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said he is uncertain whether Vice President Duterte will personally attend the day's proceedings. The Senate impeachment court is expected to continue hearing evidence and witness testimonies related to the impeachment complaint.
Day 5 of VP Duterte Impeachment trial opens
The Senate impeachment court formally opened the fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Tuesday, July 14.
A quorum was declared with 19 senators present as senator-judges for the continuation of the proceedings.
Senator-Judge Bong Go led the opening prayer before the trial officially began.
Defense continues cross-examination of NBI's Atty. Jeremy Lotoc
The defense panel continued its cross-examination of NBI BARMM Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc during the fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan played a portion of Duterte’s November 23, 2024 online press briefing, but prosecution lawyer Atty. Amando Ligutan objected, questioning the source of the video.
Ligutan also called a defense question “incompetent” after Vinluan asked if Lotoc knew whether Duterte’s statements in the press conference actually happened.
"It's like a props": Prosecution questions defense’s annotated video presentation
House prosecution lawyer Atty. Amando Ligutan questioned the defense team’s presentation of an annotated video showing Vice President Sara Duterte during the fifth day of her impeachment trial.
Ligutan argued that the defense had not established the source of the annotations and described the material as “it's like a props” while presenting it to the witness.
Defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan pushed back, saying the matter was only a clarification and not a lecture.
Escudero sustains objection to defense’s question on NBI witness
Senate President and presiding officer Sen. Chiz Escudero sustained the prosecution’s objection to the defense’s question, asking if NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc knew whether Vice President Sara Duterte’s statements during a press conference were true.
Escudero clarified that the objection was not due to the question being a compound question but because determining the truth of Duterte’s statements was beyond Lotoc’s testimony.
The ruling followed arguments from prosecution lawyer Atty. Amando Ligutan and defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan over the scope of the witness’s testimony.
Escudero reminds defense to avoid disparaging remarks during VP Duterte Trial
Defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan highlighted Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal background during his cross-examination of NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, saying, “She has a higher grade than most of the lawyers here.”
Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero reminded Vinluan to avoid statements that could disparage other lawyers, saying, “Counsel for the respondent, kindly avoid those disparaging statements given that there are a lot of lawyers here and you don’t know what their grades are.”
Vinluan was questioning Lotoc’s knowledge of Duterte’s qualifications as a lawyer and her experience in the legal field.
"Why would they feel threatened?": Cayetano questions NBI witness over alleged grave threat against Marcos
Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano questioned NBI BARMM Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc over why President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez allegedly felt threatened by Vice President Sara Duterte’s statement.
Cayetano asked, “So kung hindi naman nila sila balak patayin, why would they feel threatened? ” and argued that feeling threatened would imply they believed the statement was a serious threat.
Lotoc responded that the NBI treated Duterte’s remarks seriously because of the possibility that others could interpret or act on the statement.
Lotoc says Mayor Baste Duterte first mentioned ‘romanov’ term
NBI-BARMM Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc said their investigation showed that Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte was the first person to mention the term “Romanov.” During the impeachment trial, Lotoc said, “Ang unang nagbanggit ng Romanov, si Mayor Baste. Parang tinatakot niya ‘yung Presidente,” referring to a video from the Maisug Rally.
Lotoc also said the information shared by a certain Princess Maui regarding the alleged “Operation Romanov” plot was considered unreliable by the NBI Cybercrime Division.
He added that the agency attempted to verify the claim by contacting Princess Maui, but she allegedly did not allow the NBI to interview her.
NBI took ‘Operation Romanov’ claim seriously, witness says
NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc said the agency treated the statement of Princess Maui regarding the alleged threat to Vice President Sara Duterte’s life linked to “Operation Romanov” as a serious matter during their investigation.
Lotoc said the NBI attempted to contact Princess Maui to verify the information, but she allegedly did not allow the agency’s request for an interview.
Lacson questions NBI witness over ‘Oplan Romanov’ target
Senator-judge Ping Lacson questioned NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc over the agency’s understanding of the alleged “Oplan Romanov” during the fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Lacson asked, “So ngayon n’yo lang rin na-realize na ‘yun palang Oplan Romanov eh threat pala sa First Family?” after noting that he initially understood the alleged operation as a threat against the vice president.
Lotoc admitted that he was unaware of the distinction until Senator-Judge Raffy Tulfo clarified that the alleged operation was directed against the First Family.
Legarda says NBI affidavit “somewhat incomplete” in VP Duterte Trial
Senator-judge Loren Legarda said she found the affidavit of investigation submitted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to the impeachment court incomplete.
After reviewing the document several times, Legarda told NBI-BARMM Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, “I find it somewhat incomplete. That is just my comment on this because you clearly said you put all the pieces together.”
She added that she felt the affidavit lacked some details despite the NBI’s claim of presenting a complete account.
Villanueva questions NBI’s response to threat reports against Marcos and Duterte
Senator-judge Joel Villanueva questioned whether the NBI gave the same level of response to the alleged threats against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.
NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc explained that the agency handled the two matters differently, saying the threat against the president had sufficient basis for a motu proprio investigation, while the report involving Duterte remained an allegation that needed verification.
NBI did not issue subpoena to Romualdez over Duterte statement, witness says
Defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan asked NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc if the agency issued a subpoena to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez regarding Vice President Sara Duterte’s statement in an interview.
Lotoc said the NBI did not issue a subpoena because the agency allegedly lacked sufficient evidence to serve as basis for such action.
Prosecution: Fear not required to prove grave threat case
House private prosecutor Atty. Amando Ligutan said that a victim does not need to personally feel afraid for a grave threat case to be established, citing Supreme Court rulings as basis.
“Hindi po opinion, galing mismo ito sa Supreme Court of the Philippines,” Ligutan said, explaining that a formal complaint from the alleged victim is not necessary if the statement was proven to have been made with a threatening effect.
His statement came after Senator-judge Pia Cayetano asked whether the impact of a statement alone is enough to classify it as a grave threat or if the alleged victim must first experience fear.
"Typographical error nanaman?": Defense questions NBI affidavit errors in VP Duterte impeachment trial
Defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan questioned a typographical error in the NBI affidavit of investigation while cross-examining Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc during the fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Vinluan asked, “Typographical error na naman? With all these mga infirmities and you mentioned yesterday that your case is airtight. Don’t you think that these errors constitute violations of due process?”
Lotoc said the mistake was only a “typographical” error, while the defense continued to raise concerns over inconsistencies in documents submitted by the NBI to the Department of Justice.
NBI says cybercrime probe did not cover impact of Duterte’s alleged threat
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian asked NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, if the agency identified individuals who believed Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged threat and whether her statements had any effect.
Lotoc said this was not covered by the NBI Cybercrime Division’s investigation, adding that the agency’s Intelligence Service would be more appropriate to provide information on the matter.
Sotto seeks clarification on grave threats allegation in VP Duterte trial
Senator-judge Vicente “Tito” Sotto III sought clarification on the role of the alleged grave threats and inciting to sedition charges in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Sotto told NBI BARMM Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, “Naliligaw ako eh,” as he asked whether the allegations were separate cases being handled by regular courts.
Sotto emphasized that the impeachment complaint is primarily based on betrayal of public trust and other high crimes, saying, “Ang naka-file dito sa impeachment court ay betrayal of public trust diba? Tsaka other high crimes? Hindi grave threats at inciting to sedition?”
Lotoc replied that the NBI Cybercrime Division matter remained under preliminary investigation and had not yet reached court.
NBI cites Duterte’s repeated statement as basis for “admission against interest”
NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc explained the agency’s use of “admission against interest” in its investigation involving Vice President Sara Duterte during questioning by Senator-judge Mark Villar.
Lotoc said the NBI considered Duterte’s alleged repetition of her November 2023 statement about ordering someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez as part of their assessment.
“’Yun nga yung naging basis namin na aside doon sa utterances niya,” Lotoc said, adding that the repeated statement, along with Duterte’s earlier “no joke, no joke” remark, was considered in determining that the Vice President was allegedly serious about her statement.
Padilla asks NBI witness about knowledge of Islam
Senator-judge Robinhood Padilla asked NBI-BARMM Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc about his knowledge of Islam before the impeachment court took a 15-minute recess during the fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.
Padilla asked, “Kayo po ba ay may kaalaman sa Islam? Ang BARMM po kasi is Muslim Mindanao,” citing Lotoc’s assignment in the Bangsamoro region. Lotoc replied that NBI officials may be assigned to any regional office in the Philippines regardless of location.
Padilla says ‘komunista ako’ during questioning of NBI witness
Senator-judge Robinhood Padilla declared that he is a communist while questioning NBI-BARMM Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc during the fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Padilla said, “Komunista po ako ah. Gusto ko lamang pong alamin ninyo,” as he asked about the context of the alleged “Romanov” threat and possible links to threats against families in power.
The proceedings continued to focus on Article IV of the impeachment complaint involving the alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Trial goes on short recess
The fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial was temporarily suspended on Tuesday, July 14. The Senate impeachment court announced that proceedings would resume at 5:38 p.m. after the short recess.
NBI says VP Duterte’s statement “shows she was not joking”
NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc explained the agency’s basis for assessing Vice President Sara Duterte’s November 26, 2024 statement following her remarks involving President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Lotoc said the NBI concluded that Duterte’s statement was not a joke based on their overall assessment of her remarks and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“It shows na hindi nagbibiro ang Bise Presidente,” Lotoc said, referring to the agency’s evaluation of the statements and related events.
NBI Witness Says Duterte Allegation Could Constitute “Betrayal of Public Trust”
NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc said that, from his perspective as a lawyer, the alleged actions of Vice President Sara Duterte involving the reported threat against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez could be considered a “betrayal of public trust.”
Lotoc made the statement after being asked by House private prosecutor Atty. Amando Ligutan whether the allegation against the Vice President falls under the category of betrayal of public trust.
NBI Witness Cites Duterte Family Background in Assessing Alleged Threat Capability
NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc explained the factors considered by the agency in assessing whether Vice President Sara Duterte had the capability to carry out the alleged threat.
In response to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian’s question, Lotoc cited her position as Vice President and the circumstances involving her family background.
“Alam naman po natin yung background na yung tatay niya na [si] dating Presidente [Rodrigo Duterte] ay hinaharap ngayon yung kaso sa International Criminal Court (ICC) dahil sa mga extrajudicial killings, etc., so, tinignan namin yun na indeed being in that situation, may capability aside from the fact na Vice President siya,” Lotoc said.
Cayetano questions NBI witness on alleged “admission against interest”
Senator-Judge Alan Cayetano questioned NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc on whether the agency found an “admission against interest” in Vice President Sara Duterte’s November 23, 2024 video statement, where she allegedly said she had hired someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Cayetano pressed Lotoc on the NBI’s evaluation, asking, “Kayo nag-evaluate no’n, Meron o wala?” as he sought clarification on whether the statement met the basis for such a legal assessment.
NBI Witness Jeremy Lotoc Excused After Completing Testimony
NBI-BARMM Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc concluded his testimony before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday after two days on the witness stand.
Lotoc, the second witness presented by the House prosecution, testified as the proceedings tackled Article IV of the impeachment complaint involving the alleged grave threats made by Vice President Sara Duterte against the President, First Lady, and former House Speaker.
Lacson denies talking about “national bird” during light moment in Trial
Atty. Lorna Kapunan, counsel for the prosecution, drew laughter from the impeachment court after a light exchange with senator-judge Panfilo “Ping” Lacson during Tuesday’s proceedings. Kapunan recalled an alleged previous interview where Lacson supposedly mentioned that the trial could last long enough to have a “national bird,” but Lacson denied making such a remark.
“Ma’am, you said national bird?” Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero asked, while Lacson responded, “It must be another senator-judge or another person. I never talked about birds.”
Prosecution Drops Lopez, Bello as Witnesses in VP Duterte Trial
The House prosecution panel will no longer present Atty. Zuleika Lopez and Capt. Belinda Bello as witnesses in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Prosecution counsel Atty. Lorna Kapunan said the decision was made “in the interest of time” as their testimonies were deemed “totally unnecessary, redundant and a surplusage” in relation to the allegations of grave threats and an assassination plot.
Day 5 of VP uterte Impeachment Trial Adjourns
The fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial formally ended at 7:41 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14.
The proceedings lasted nearly six hours before the Senate impeachment court adjourned the hearing.
The trial will resume on Wednesday, July 15.
