Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783900056604Screen Shot 2026-07-13 at 6.53.47 AM (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte cross-examines the first witness presented by the House prosecution panel during the third day of the impeachment trial on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The trial has been adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 13, when the House prosecution panel is expected to present its second witness, Jeremy Lotoc.<em> Joseph B. Vidal, Senate Social Media Unit</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is set to enter its fourth day on Monday afternoon, with proceedings expected to continue centering on the prosecution&#x27;s presentation of evidence under Article 4 of the articles of impeachment.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial">READ: The Impeachment Trial of Sara Duterte</a></div><p>Article 4 accuses Duterte of committing grave threats over her controversial remarks that she had allegedly hired someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez should she be assassinated.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/wrap-prosecution-presents-videos-nbi-agent-on-duterte-s-alleged-threats-vs-marcos-2126">WRAP: Prosecution presents videos, NBI agent on Duterte’s alleged threats vs. Marcos</a></div><p>National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director and senior agent Jeremy Lotoc, a lawyer, is expected to take the witness stand on Monday, July 13.</p><p>Lotoc is the NBI investigator who led the probe into Duterte&#x27;s alleged threat.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/11/next-nbi-witness-to-strengthen-testimony-of-calilung-de-lima-1308">Next NBI witness to &#x27;strengthen&#x27; testimony of Calilung–De Lima</a></div><p>House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno told DZMM Teleradyo that Lotoc is expected to solidify the foundations laid by the prosecution&#x27;s first witness, NBI senior agent John Mark Calilung.</p><p>&quot;Ngayon naman si supervising agent Jeremy Lotoc ng NBI ang uupo at ang magsasalang sa kanya ay si Atty. Virgil Ligutan... Hindi lang iko-corroborate kundi meron din syang ikukwento sa kanilang imbestigasyon,&quot; Diokno said.</p><p>The first three days of the trial last week focused on the authentication of the prosecution&#x27;s video evidence, as the House prosecution panel presented Calilung to identify a two-minute and 18-second excerpt from Duterte&#x27;s November 2024 online press conference.</p><p>Rep. Leila de Lima, another House prosecutor, earlier said Lotoc is also expected to lay down the circumstances, the context and the &quot;seriousness&quot; of the Vice President&#x27;s alleged kill plot given the results of the bureau&#x27;s investigation.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;A THREAT IS A THREAT&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Diokno, citing Calilung&#x27;s testimonies, said this was the first time a Vice President uttered such serious threats against a sitting President, adding that the defense cannot argue about it being &quot;conditional&quot; given the circumstances surrounding Duterte&#x27;s statements.</p><p>&quot;Ngayon lang may nagbanta sa Pangulo nang ganyan katindi... Tingnan natin ang mismong sinabi—kahit conditional man yan, kung gagamitin nating batayan ang batas at desisyon ng Korte Suprema, a threat is a threat,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Kung titingnan natin yung sinabi mismo ni VP, meron na syang kinuha [na assassin], ibig sabihin non, walang kondisyon yun, yung pagkakausap sa whoever it is she spoke to to go after the President and First Lady,&quot; Diokno added.</p><p>Diokno said the prosecution will try to speed up its presentation of evidence following comments regarding the pace of the trial.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/12/escudero-vows-impeachment-process-to-be-faster-in-coming-weeks-1814">Escudero vows impeachment process to be faster in coming weeks: ‘Nangangapa pa ang ilan’</a></div><p>&quot;Aware din kami dyan at ayaw din naming tumagal nang masyadong mahaba itong proseso, we&#x27;re also doing everything we can to make sure that this will be finished as soon as we can finish it,&quot; Diokno said.</p><p>The proceedings last week were repeatedly interrupted by objections from the defense, which questioned the manner by which prosecutors were laying the foundation for the evidence.</p><p>In an interview with ANC&#x27;s Headstart on Wednesday, impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol said the lengthy exchanges were part of the normal process of presenting documentary and object evidence in court.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XNaOicBI5kg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iqc11qHPGlY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kIatwKXwquc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director and senior agent Jeremy Lotoc, a lawyer, is expected to take the witness stand on Monday, July 13.</p>

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director and senior agent Jeremy Lotoc, a lawyer, is expected to take the witness stand on Monday, July 13.

'A threat is a threat': What to expect on day 4 of VP Sara impeachment trial

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'A threat is a threat': What to expect on day 4 of VP Sara impeachment trial

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 13, 2026 07:54 AM PHT

Read More:

sara duterte

vice president sara duterte

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