National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on Tuesday said the agency expects to have clearer information within three to six months on the person allegedly contracted by Vice President Sara Duterte to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Matibag made the statement during his testimony before the Senate impeachment court as the prosecution's final witness for Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment.

The NBI chief was questioned about the progress of the bureau's investigation into Duterte's alleged assassination threat against Marcos.

Senator-judge Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian noted that it has been one year and eight months since the alleged threat was made, yet authorities have not identified the supposed assassin.

Initially, Matibag said he could not provide an exact timeline for when the NBI's special task force would identify the alleged hitman.

"I cannot give the exact time but the task force was established on April 16 and it's doing a great progress po. So sa palagay ko po, malapit na rin natin itong mahanap itong taong ating pong tinutukoy," Matibag told the impeachment court.

When Gatchalian asked whether the alleged assassin could be identified within three to six months, Matibag said the bureau was optimistic.

"As we go on to the progress, probably po within the three to six months ay magkakaroon po tayo ng mas malinaw po na data tungkol po dito," he said.

Pressed further by Gatchalian on whether the alleged hired killer would already be identified within that period, "But in three to six months, matutukoy na natin ‘yung kakontrata?"

Matibag replied, "‘Yun po ang ating inaasahan."

Matibag also told the impeachment court that the NBI has already identified several persons of interest (POIs) who may have knowledge of the alleged assassination plot mentioned by Duterte during an online media briefing in November 2024.

According to the NBI chief, one of the identified persons of interest could be the individual allegedly contracted to carry out the assassination.