NBI testimony makes impeachment case vs. VP Duterte more 'airtight' —Rep. Chua

House prosecutor Representative Joel Chua on Monday said the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) witness Jeremy Lotoc further strengthened what the prosecution described as its “airtight” impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Speaking to reporters after the fourth day of the impeachment trial, the Manila congressman said Lotoc’s testimony reinforced the evidence already presented before the Senate impeachment court.

“With more reason, nung sinabi pa at sinagot ni Attorney Lotoc na airtight ’yung kaso, lalo lamang mas tumibay ang aming ebidensya,” Chua said.

(With more reason, when Attorney Lotoc said and answered that the case is airtight, it only further strengthened our evidence.)

Chua, however, stressed that impeachment proceedings differ from criminal cases in terms of the standard of proof required.

“Unang-una, kailangan nating ilagay sa isip na itong impeachment case ay hindi ito kagaya ng criminal case na kailangan ’yung ebidensya ay matibay na matibay hanggang sa dulo,” he said.

(First of all, we have to bear in mind that an impeachment case is not like a criminal case where the evidence has to be extremely strong all the way to the end.)

“So ito ay hindi lamang ’yung bigat ng pagpapatunay.”

(So this is not solely about the weight of the evidence.)

Lotoc, the NBI-BARMM regional director and former chief of the bureau’s Cybercrime Division, testified earlier in the day that investigators found Vice President Duterte had the intent, motive, and capability to carry out her alleged threats against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

He also told the impeachment court that, based on the bureau’s investigation, they believe Duterte committed the crimes of grave threats and inciting to sedition.

Chua also dismissed suggestions that the prosecution’s case hinges on whether an “assassin” actually existed, saying the issue before the impeachment court is the alleged threat itself.

“Ang pinag-uusapan dito ay ’yung bigat ng kaso, hindi naman ’yung issue ng assassin. Walang kinalaman ’yung assassin dito sa pagbabanta,” he said.

(What is at issue here is the gravity of the case, not the issue of an assassin. The assassin has nothing to do with the alleged threat.)

“So ang pinag-uusapan dito sa grave threat ay ang binitawan at bigat ng binitawang salita at pagbabanta ng ating Bise Presidente.”

(What is being examined in the grave threats case are the words uttered by the Vice President and the seriousness of the alleged threat she made.)

The Senate impeachment court is hearing the fourth article of impeachment, which accuses Duterte of making grave threats against the President, the First Lady, and Romualdez. — BM, GMA News