House private prosecutor Atty. Amando Virgil Ligutan on Monday claimed that Vice President Sara Duterte had allegedly already contracted a hitman before her November 23, 2024 online press conference where she made statements interpreted as an assassination threat against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Ligutan said the allegation would be among the matters to be established by the prosecution’s second witness, NBI Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, during the fourth day of Duterte’s impeachment trial.

“Mga kababayan, even before that fateful press conference on November 23, 2024, bago yung press conference na iyan, may nakontrata ng mamamatay tao yung vicepresidente bago pa man ang press conference na iyan,” Ligutan said.

The prosecutor further argued that Duterte’s alleged instructions to a supposed assassin showed the seriousness of the threat.

“Ang utos ng bise presidente sa assassin na huwag siyang titigil hangga't hindi napapatay ang Pangulo ng Pilipinas, ang Unang Ginang at ang Speaker ng House of Representatives ay nagpapakita na ang bise presidente ay determinado at porsigido sa kanyang pagbabanta,” Ligutan said.

Ligutan added that the National Bureau of Investigation’s findings led to the filing of criminal complaints against Duterte.

“The result of the investigation and after determining that the respondent's threats are serious and real, led the NBI to file complaints for three counts of grave threats and one count of inciting to sedition,” he said.