Matibag: VP Sara Duterte consummated betrayal of public trust after kill job statement vs Marcos

Vice President Sara Duterte “consummated betrayal of public trust" when she said publicly that she hired someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and others if she were killed, Director Melvin Matibag said Wednesday.

“The betrayal of public trust was already been consummated when she publicly admitted -- there is already an admission — that she contracted a killer, mamamatay-tao or assassin to kill the president,” Matibag said on Day 9 of the impeachment trial.

“That itself is an admission…Why? Because the oath of the Office of the Vice President, sabi nya she will execute the law and do justice to every man. So kapag nagbalak kang pumatay at ginawa mo yan that is no justice to every man. It’s not execute the law but execute the president ang gusto mong gawin dyan,” he added.

(That itself is an admission...Why? Because the oath of the Office of the Vice President, he said she will execute the law and do justice to every man. So when you plan to kill and you do that that is no justice to every man. It's not execute the law but execute the president is what you want to do.)

The defense asked the court to strike Matibag’s remarks off the records but it was overruled.

Lead impeachment prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, for her part, opposed the defense’s objections and said Matibag only answered their question.

“Ang depensa ang nagtanong kung mapapatunayan na nag-commit ng betrayal of public trust kung sasampahan pa ng impeachment ulit at sinasagot lang ng testigo — consummated na ang betrayal of public trust dahil may kausap ng tao na pumayag na to execute the President,the First Lady, and the House Speaker,” Luistro said.

(The defense asked if the betrayal of public trust allegations will be proven if another impeachment case will be filed against Duterte and the witness if just answering — betrayal of public trust was already consummated when she said she hired a person to kill the President, the First Lady, and the House Speaker and the person agreed.)

Duterte is facing impeachment charges over allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes. In May, she was impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time.

On May 18, the Senate convened as an impeachment court. On June 1, Duterte's camp filed their answer on the Articles of Impeachment, asking the court to junk the impeachment case against her. —VAL, GMA News