Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

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/178470793332320260721-vp-sara-impeachment-day8-MT14.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The defense and House prosecution panels cross-examine NBI Director Melvin Matibag as he takes the witness stand during the eighth day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>— The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified less than 20 individuals whom Vice President Sara Duterte may have allegedly contracted to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the bureau&#x27;s director Melvin Matibag said Wednesday during the impeachment trial.</p><p>Matibag said the agency is &quot;narrowing [the investigation] down already to less than 20 individuals.&quot;</p><p>“May mga pangalan na po kami nito. Sa katunayan po, yung iba po dito, kausap na po namin yung kanilang mga pamilya at kakilala,” he said. </p><p>Matibag also said there is a person of interest within the Vice Presidential Security Group.</p><p>&quot;Sa aming na-narrow down, there are men in uniform who [are] in active service.&quot;</p><p>On a scale of 1 to 10, Matibag says there is a 6 to 7 probability that they will be able to identify who was supposedly contracted by the Vice President to do the killings.</p><p>Matibag is the last witness for the prosecution in relation to the fourth article of impeachment, accusing Duterte of grave threats against the President, First Lady Liza Marcos and former House speaker Martin Romualdez, and inciting to sedition.</p><p>The director projected that the agency may identify the alleged contracted killer “in three to six months.”</p><p>During the Tuesday trial, the NBI chief said the agency has identified <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/21/nbi-pursuing-persons-of-interest-in-duterte-s-alleged-threat-vs-marcos-1607">“persons of interest”</a> in its probe into Duterte’s alleged threats, but declined to name them to not compromise the ongoing investigation.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/22/anti-us-protesters-clash-with-police-amid-rubio-visit-2-journalists-nearly-arrested-1323">WRAP: Matibag testifies on Duterte&#x27;s alleged threats vs Marcos</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WATCH</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V-ELTBw9uOM?si=Cue5FOQLKcNtq7a-" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified less than 20 individuals whom Vice President Sara Duterte may have allegedly contracted to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Director Melvin Matibag said Wednesday during the impeachment trial of the vice president.</p>

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified less than 20 individuals whom Vice President Sara Duterte may have allegedly contracted to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Director Melvin Matibag said Wednesday during the impeachment trial of the vice president.

NBI probe into Duterte 'hitman' narrowed down to 20 names—Matibag

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NBI probe into Duterte 'hitman' narrowed down to 20 names—Matibag

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 22, 2026 04:19 PM PHT

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Updated July 22, 2026 04:22 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

impeachment trial

Melvin Matibag

National Bureau of Investigation

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