The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Wednesday it is “trying to identify and pinpoint” an alleged assassin supposedly hired by Vice President Sara Duterte, amid testimony linking her to threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

NBI Director Atty. Melvin Matibag told a House Committee on Justice hearing that investigators have “leads already” and are monitoring several individuals believed to be connected to the alleged plot.

“We have leads already… We are zeroing in on several individuals already na maaaring kinausap niya,” Matibag said, referring to Duterte.

The hearing, chaired by Batangas 2nd District Rep. Atty. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, is part of ongoing proceedings on impeachment complaints filed against the vice president.

Luistro asked the NBI to clarify the purpose of its follow-up investigation.

Matibag said the probe stemmed from a video in which Duterte allegedly said she had “no joke” hired an assassin. He said authorities are working to verify and identify the alleged hitman and others within the vice president’s network.

“We’re trying to identify and pinpoint the assassin,” Matibag said. “We have some personalities under surveillance… We cannot name the names of those individuals, but we are zeroing in on several individuals already.”

He added that investigators are also examining individuals linked to what he described as a “vice presidential security group,” including both active and former military personnel.

“If you recall, it’s not been denied na meron pong itinayong parang vice presidential security group,” he said. “We’re looking into those individuals and the close associates of the vice president.”

Matibag said the scope of the probe reflects the vice president’s position and network.

“She is the second-highest-ranking official of the country so she has the network,” he said. “Kaya kailangan nating sundan maigi at i-surveillance yung mga nakausap at kinakausap.”

He also described the situation as a serious security concern involving the president.

“We consider it as a serious and actual threat to the life of the president kaya kailangan namin bantayan,” Matibag said.

Matibag further noted what he called an unusually large security detail for the vice president.

“It is very unusual to a vice president, if you will look at the history of other vice presidents hindi ganun karami ang security group na nakabantay,” he said, claiming that current personnel linked to Duterte number “more than 100” and may range up to “500,” contrasting it with former Vice President Leni Robredo’s estimated 30-person detail.

The committee hearing on the impeachment complaints is ongoing. No official response from Duterte was immediately presented during the session.