National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag will no longer attend a regional law enforcement summit in Thailand to testify as a witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 21, House prosecution counsel Atty. Lorna Kapunan said Thursday.
During the press briefing, Kapunan confirmed that Matibag will forgo his scheduled participation in an international conference involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Asia-Pacific law enforcement leaders in order to appear before the Senate impeachment court.
"Essential po ang testimony of director Matibag at hindi na rin po siya dapat nasa conference siya at hindi po siya pupunta sa conference niya para mag-attend sa senate impeachment hearing," Kapunan said.
Kapunan said the decision was reached after discussions with House prosecution lead Rep. Gerville Lusitro and Matibag, adding that the NBI chief was prepared to testify before the impeachment court.
She also confirmed that Matibag will serve as the prosecution's final witness for Article IV of the impeachment complaint against Duterte. The article concerns the alleged threats made by the Vice President against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Leyte Rep. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Kapunan said the Senate's pronouncements underscored the importance of prioritizing the impeachment proceedings over previously scheduled engagements.
"Narinig naman natin ‘yung mga pronouncement sa Senate, where to express the impeachment must be given paramount importance compared to all of those conferences. Naintindihan naman ni Dir. Matibag na it was just function of the scheduling," she said.
"It was not that he refused to go, it was just a matter of scheduling kasi importante ron ‘yung conference na ‘yun…He will be here on Tuesday," Kapunan added.
Earlier, the Senate impeachment court moved up Matibag's appearance to July 21 after learning that he was initially scheduled to attend an official engagement in Thailand the following day. His testimony is expected to conclude the prosecution's presentation of witnesses for Article IV of the impeachment complaint.
Matibag had been invited by the FBI, in coordination with the Royal Thai Police, to attend the Regional Summit on Scam Center Compounds and Transnational Organized Crime in Bangkok, Thailand, from July 21 to 22.
