Jamaine Punzalan

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag holds a press conference at the NBI Headquarters on May 22, 2026. Maria Tan,  ABS-CBN News

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INCITING to SEDITION CASE- VICE MAYOR RESPICIO

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<div><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/pGHaQdVJHOs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Expect more fireworks on the eighth day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte as National Bureau of Investigation chief Melvin Matibag takes the stand to testify on her alleged threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. </p><p>Atty. Melencio Sta. Maria, former dean of the Far Eastern University Institute of Law, said Matibag’s testimony could be superfluous after NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung testified on the authentication of the recordings containing Duterte’s statements while NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc testified on the Cybercrime Division’s investigation on Duterte’s remarks.</p><p>What could happen, however, is that Matibag could face intense questioning after saying that Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano could face a subpoena over alleged irregularities in the Philippines’ hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.</p><p>“May kulay na, iba na ‘to. Palagay ko maririnig natin yung madaming pasaring diyan mamaya. Lilihis &#x27;yan sa ibang mga isyu,” Sta. Maria said in a radio DZMM interview.</p><p>Sta. Maria noted Matibag personally in May went to the Senate premises following news that Sen. Bato dela Rosa was in the building after hiding from an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for six months. Dela Rosa would later slip out of the Senate building after hitching a ride inside Sen. Robin Padilla’s car.</p><p>“Hindi lang palaban ‘yan. Pasugod pa,” he said, referring to Matibag’s visit to the Senate.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/padilla-ombudsman-dela-rosa-escape-tulfo-1419">Padilla denies snubbing Ombudsman order; Tulfo says impeachment court shouldn&#x27;t be used to &#x27;defend ourselves&#x27;</a></div><p>Sen. Alan Cayetano earlier said Matibag seemed to be intimidating him by announcing an <a href="http://Padilla denies snubbing Ombudsman order; Tulfo says impeachment court shouldn&#x27;t be used to &#x27;defend ourselves&#x27;">investigation into the alleged irregularities in the Philippines&#x27; 2019 hosting of the SEA Games</a>, where the senator served as chairman of the organizing committee.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/nbi-eyes-more-witnesses-in-2019-sea-games-probe-matibag-1232">NBI to subpoena 3 PHISGOC execs, eyes more witnesses in 2019 Sea Games probe—Matibag </a></div><p><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/19/nbi-reacts-to-cayateno-s-minion-label-on-matibag-1832">He labeled Matibag a “minion”</a>, which the NBI chief dismissed as name-calling.</p><p>&quot;When a position cannot be defended with facts, it is often defended with insults,&quot; Matibag&#x27;s office in a statement on Sunday.</p><p>The NBI said its fact-finding inquiry covers the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, including the liquidation and audit of more than P2.2 billion in government funds used for the Games.</p><p>House impeachment trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong earlier said Matibag’s testimony would focus on the NBI’s broader investigation into Duterte’s remarks against the President, First Lady Liza Marcos and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez. </p><p>Sta. Maria noted Duterte’s threat ties into the prosecution’s case that the Vice President betrayed public trust.</p><p>“Pumatay kung siya’y papatayin. Hindi ‘yun claim of justice, it’s a claim of vengeance. Paghihiganti. At kung paghihiganti, wala na ‘yang batas, parang vigilante mentality na ‘yan,” he said.</p><p>Meanwhile, House prosecution spokesperson Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr., said Matibag “will be giving new important information” on Tuesday. </p><p>“I can also assure you that you wouldn’t want to miss his testimony,” Tolosa said on Monday.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ABSOLUTE COMMUNITY OF PROPERTY</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In the interview, Sta. Maria tackled trial presiding officer Chiz Escudero’s decision to partially grant the prosecution’s request for a subpoena of Duterte’s financial records.</p><p>He said Escudero’s question of a possible prenuptial agreement between Duterte and spouse Mans Carpio directly addresses the defense’s argument that opening the Vice President&#x27;s financial records would violate her husband’s right to privacy.</p><p>Since there was no agreement, he said absolute community of property applies. This means all properties owned by both spouses prior to marriage and acquired afterward merge into a single estate. </p><p>Sta. Maria said Escudero’s conservative decision agreed with existing jurisprudence from the Supreme Court while giving the Bureau of Internal Revenue the discretion on how much information it would divulge on Duterte’s tax records.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/impeachment-court-subpoenas-duterte-bank-records-1730">Senate court grants subpoena for Duterte financial records </a></div><p>The former law dean also dismissed the defense’s argument that the prosecution’s request for subpoena was a fishing expedition, saying the subpoena covered a wide range of financial information but was not directionless.</p><p>He noted the impeachment articles already cited bank accounts and transactions including amounts and diagrams based on the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s records on Duterte’s covered and suspicious transactions dating as far back as 2007.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/full-text-impeachment-court-s-bir-amlc-subpoenas-for-duterte-financial-records-1854">FULL TEXT: Impeachment court subpoenas BIR, AMLC for Duterte financial records </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/impeachment-court-subpoena-for-duterte-s-documents-not-a-setback-defense-2018">Impeachment court subpoena for Duterte&#x27;s documents not a setback — defense </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/padilla-challenges-fellow-senators-to-open-bank-records-1949">Padilla challenges fellow senators to open bank records </a></div><div><strong>— With a report from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News </strong></div><div><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/gF9vHpHlr_A?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><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/aqMa-3qyVO8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><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/lJ2pR06kKB4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Expect more fireworks on the eighth day of the impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte as NBI chief Melvin Matibag takes the stand to testify on her alleged threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. </p>

Expect more fireworks on the eighth day of the impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte as NBI chief Melvin Matibag takes the stand to testify on her alleged threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Impeach trial Day 8: NBI chief could face intense grilling — analyst

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Impeach trial Day 8: NBI chief could face intense grilling — analyst

David Dizon,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 21, 2026 10:05 AM PHT

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Updated July 21, 2026 12:58 PM PHT

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