The legal team of Vice President Sara Duterte has denounced the recent House Committee on Justice inquiry as a “fishing expedition,” pushing back against findings from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that authenticated a viral video showing her issuing threats against top government officials, including the president.
NBI confirms authenticity of video
The NBI on April 29, 2026 confirmed that the controversial clip — where Duterte was heard saying, “Kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke.” — was genuine, unedited, and not generated by artificial intelligence. The footage has since become a key piece of evidence in ongoing impeachment proceedings.
Defense pushes back
On April 30, Duterte’s counsel dismissed the House proceedings, arguing that the evidence presented was selectively assembled and stripped of context.
“The presentation on the Vice President's alleged commission of Inciting to Sedition and Grave Threats at yesterday's House Committee on Justice hearing publicly reveals the paucity of the charges against her. Evidence is curated, even spliced. Context is ignored. Opinion is substituted for facts. Guesswork is presented as investigation results,” the statement read.
“These cannot be the foundation for probable cause, much less a prima facie case with reasonable certainty of conviction. Simply repeating a conclusion, no matter how vehemently, does not make it true,” it added.
The defense maintained that the hearings exposed weaknesses in the accusations and said any determination of liability should be left to proper legal processes, where evidence — not speculation — will be weighed.
‘Verified, unedited, and traceable’
During the hearing, NBI Cybercrime Division agent John Mark Calilung told lawmakers the bureau conducted a full authentication of the video, which originated from Duterte’s November 23, 2024 online press conference.
“Authentication means ensuring that the video is the same as and accurately reflects what actually transpired. We ensure that it is not edited, spliced, or AI-generated,” Calilung said.
Investigators coordinated with Meta to preserve the original livestream link and documented the footage through screen recording, capturing key identifiers such as the source URL and account details. The video was later traced to an account linked to former presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
Full statement under scrutiny
In the livestream, Duterte was heard delivering a profanity-laced tirade targeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez:
“This country is going to hell because we are led by a person who doesn't know how to be a president and who is a liar... P****gina ninyong lahat, Martin Romualdez, Liza Marcos, Bongbong Marcos! [...] T***ina ninyo. Hindi pa kayo nakakita ng kalaban na tulad ko,” she allegedly uttered.
“Wag kang mag-alala sa security ko kasi may kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, Kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke. Nagbilin na ako, 'Pag namatay ako, wag kang tumigil ha, hanggang hindi mo mapatay sila. And he said. ‘Yes,” she allegedly said.
The remarks were made hours after tensions escalated between Duterte and lawmakers over the detention of her chief of staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, who had been cited in contempt by the House.
Legal implications mount
At the same hearing, lawyer Yentl Malicad said the NBI’s findings could support charges such as grave threats and inciting to sedition.
“The complaint referred by the NBI, which includes incitement to sedition, contains all the necessary evidence to prove the essential elements of the crime and should be docketed for preliminary investigation,” Malicad said.
“Base po sa ebidensiya na nakalap ng NBI at nai-submit po sa Department of Justice for the purpose of preliminary investigation, ang naging findings po ng NBI, the acts of the Vice President constitute grave threats,” she added.
The NBI has submitted its affidavit to the Department of Justice, which will determine whether criminal charges will be pursued alongside the impeachment case.
Expanding investigation
NBI Director Malvin Matibag said investigators are now working to identify individuals allegedly referenced in Duterte’s remarks and assess whether any operational steps were taken.
Authorities are examining communication records, financial transactions, and possible intermediaries, while also coordinating with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The probe includes reports of a so-called “Vice President Security Group,” allegedly composed of hundreds of individuals, including active and retired military personnel.
