Matibag: Some of NBI's persons of interest in active service, part of VP Sara security group

Some of the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) persons of interest in the alleged plot to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are active uniformed personnel while another is a member of Vice President Sara Duterte’s security group, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said Wednesday.

Speaking as a witness before the impeachment trial of Duterte at the Senate, Matibag said persons of interest are connected to the individual allegedly hired by the Vice President to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then House Speaker Martin Romualdez if Duterte dies.

“Actually, meron pong personalidad na kasama doon,” Matibag said when asked if the members of Duterte’s security detail are among the bureau’s persons of interest.

(Actually, there is a personality who is part of the group.)

He also said that some are uniformed personnel who are still in active in the armed services.

Narrowing the list

The NBI chief said they are narrowing down the number of persons of interest to less than 20. He stressed they are not limiting it to the Davao Death Squad (DDS).

“We are narrowing it down already to less than 20 individuals at may mga pangalan na po kami nito. Sa katunayan po, ‘yung iba po dito, kausap na po namin ‘yung mga pamilya o kakilala,” he said.

(We are narrowing it down already to fewer than 20 individuals, and we already have their names. In fact, for some of them, we are already speaking with their families or acquaintances.)

During the interjection of Senator Erwin Tulfo, Matibag said the bureau used informants in creating its list.

“Tinignan po natin saang sphere po papasok. Saan ba pwedeng nanggaling ‘yun. Hindi kaagad sino, saan ba pwedeng nanggaling ‘yun? At lumalabas po dito, alam po natin ang kasaysayan, malawak po ang kanyang tinatawag na connection, ‘yung network po,” Matibag said.

(We looked at which sphere it could fall under. Rather than immediately asking who it was, we first asked where it could have come from. Based on what emerged, we know the history, [Duterte] has what is known as an extensive network and broad connections.)

Considering her position and the fact that former president Rodrigo Duterte is her father, Matibag said the Vice President has connections to personnel in the military, law enforcement and possible armed groups.

“Nandyan din po, binanggit ko ‘yung VPSG at ‘yung mga Davao Death Squad. So tinignan po by process of elimination ‘yung mga tao po na maaring doon nanggaling o maaring nakakaalam,” he said.

(I also mentioned the VPSG and the Davao Death Squad. So, through a process of elimination, we looked into the people who may have come from those groups or who may have knowledge of them.)

“By process of elimination, nag start po kami marami pong individuals hanggang sa ma-trim down po namin ng ma-trim down,” he added.

(By process of elimination, we started with many individuals until we were able to narrow the list down further and further.) —RF, GMA News