Defense to present witness on alleged 'Operation Romanov' 

The defense team in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte said Monday they will present a witness that who will testify on the alleged "Operation Romanov" assassination plot against Duterte and her family.

During the fourth day of the trial, Senator-Judge Raffy Tulfo asked the defense if it will be presenting as witness a certain “Princess Maui” — the vlogger who floated the Operation Romanov in the controversial press conference in November 2024, which prompted the Vice President to say that she contracted someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan, in response, said that Princess Maui’s presentation will depend on the course of the trial.

“Your Honor, at this point, it will depend on what has been…what will be established by the prosecution. The defense reserves its right to call or not call any witness, depending on the course of the trial,” Vinluan said.

Tulfo then asked if the defense will be presenting any other witness to prove the supposed threat to the life of the Vice President and her family.

“Yes, Your Honor. That will be part of our evidence ...,” Vinluan answered.

He, however, said the defense is not at liberty to disclose the identity of the witnesses they will present soon.

The defense team in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte said Monday they will present a witness that who will testify on the alleged "Operation Romanov" assassination plot against Duterte and her family.

READ: What is 'Operation Romanov,' referred to by Sara Duterte's defense team

Tulfo also disclosed that the first time he heard about Oplan Romanov was during the Maisug Leaders Forum in Davao City in January 2024, as uttered by Mayor Sebastian Duterte.

Asked if this was in any relation to what Princess Maui said during the press conference, Vinluan said, “I have no personal knowledge of what Mayor Baste said. So I cannot comment on that, Your Honor.”

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent Mark Calilung, a witness for the House prosecution panel, earlier said that Duterte and one of her allies, identified as Princess Maui, failed to appear before the NBI to substantiate their claims of an alleged plot to kill the Vice President and her family.

Vinluan had maintained that the alleged plot is "real," arguing that it was the reason Duterte made the statements during the press conference

"When VP Sara uttered those words, she was not responding as Sara Duterte the Vice President, but as Sara Duterte the wife, mother, daughter, and sister who only sought to protect her own life and the lives of her family members," Vinluan previously said. — RSJ, GMA News