“The sitting president doesn’t know how to be; is that my fault?”
“If he’s your president, it’s okay. I’m only up to vice president. This country is only up to number two; there’s no number one.”
“I want to cut off his head. I just imagine myself cutting his head.”
~Statements of VP Sara Duterte on Video Evidence presented by NBI Agent John Mark Calilung
An NBI agent testified in the Senate impeachment trial that Vice President Sara Duterte uttered threats against President Marcos Jr.
Prosecutor Atty. Amando Virgil Ligutan presented the digital evidence during the direct examination of witness NBI Agent Mark Calilung. Defense counsel Atty. Carlo Joaquin Narvasa repeatedly objected to the questions, calling them misleading and leading.
However, Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero overruled the objections and allowed Calilung to reference his investigator notes.
The digital forensic examination focused on video recordings of press conferences held by the Vice President. Calilung explained that his team screen-recorded the livestreams using Open Broadcaster Software and calculated hash values.
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Furthermore, the witness manually compared the recorded files with original online sources to ensure evidence integrity.
‘May Kinausap Na Akong Tao…’
During his testimony, Calilung read the exact quotes from an online press conference on October 18, 2024. Specifically, he quoted Duterte saying, “Tang-**. I just imagine myself cutting his head.”
Calilung confirmed under questioning that the statement referred directly to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. In addition, the prosecution played a November 23, 2024 video where Duterte stated, “Wag ka mag-aalala Ma’am sa security ko. Kasi may kinausaup na akong tao, sinabi ko sa kanya kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez. No joke, no joke.”
Meanwhile, Senator Judge Risa Hontiveros asked if the statements proved that Duterte actually hired an assassin. In response, Atty. Ligutan argued that the quotes established specific intent, system, and knowledge under court rules.
However, Senator Judge Pia Cayetano criticized the prosecutor’s explanation as an improper closing statement.
Court Tables Motion to Strike Statements
Consequently, Senator Judge Alan Peter Cayetano moved to strike the prosecution’s statements from the court record. Atty. Narvasa supported the motion, but Presiding Officer Escudero tabled the matter for later discussion.
Ultimately, Escudero ruled that defense counsel will receive equal time for arguments following cross-examination.
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