House prosecution panel member and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon clarified that, according to public records, “Operation Romanov” originated with Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte’s brother and targeted the Marcoses, not their family.

“To be clear: ‘yung ‘Operation Romanov,’ hindi ito nagsimula doon sa press conference po na iyon. Again, very clear po ‘yung public record. It was Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte who first made mention of Operation Romanov, as a threat against the presidential family—not the other way around,” Ridon said during a Monday press conference.

In addition, Deputy Speaker Janette Garin pointed out that Vice President Duterte had begun issuing threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. even before her Chief of Staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, was detained at the House of Representatives after being cited in contempt during a Good Government Committee inquiry.

Later, during the impeachment trial itself, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) BARMM Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc confirmed that Mayor Duterte had first uttered the term “Romanov.”

“Based don sa video na ‘yun, January if I’m not mistaken, ‘yung Maisug Rally. Ang unang nagbanggit ng Romanov, si Mayor Baste. Parang tinatakot niya ‘yung Presidente,” Lotoc said.