VP Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial: First Witness Takes Center Stage on Days 2–3

On July 7, the prosecution opened the second day of the impeachment trial by presenting its first witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, as the court began examining Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which details the alleged grave threats made by Vice President Sara Duterte.

• Two hours before the trial, Duterte arrived at the Senate to meet with her lawyers.

• She briefly addressed the media, describing the impeachment proceedings as a "bloodbath and bludgeoning" and saying she would be "bloodied but unbowed.”

• Twenty of the 24 senator-judges were present. Absent were Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada, who are facing separate criminal charges, and Ronald dela Rosa, who remains in hiding.

• Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson questioned Presiding Officer Francis Escudero's 16-vote conviction threshold and asked whether it could become a justiciable issue before the Supreme Court. Escudero said the matter may be subject to judicial determination.

• The prosecution announced that it would file a written request to call Duterte as a hostile witness in connection with the Article on grave threats.

• House prosecutor Rep. Lorenz Defensor presented Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment. The Article IV contains the assassination threats made by the Vice President against President Bongbong Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

• Escudero reiterated that the respondent is not required to attend the trial as long as counsel personally represents her.

• The impeachment court denied the defense's motion to strike Defensor's manifestation that Article IV was based on Vice President Sara Duterte's own public statements.

• Calilung took the stand as the prosecution's first witness, testifying on the investigation into Vice President Duterte's alleged threats during her Nov. 23, 2024, online press briefing.

• The defense moved to exclude Calilung as a witness, arguing that he was not identified in the original complaints or the Articles of Impeachment. The court denied the motion, citing that additional witnesses and evidence may be presented during pre-trial.

• Calilung testified that investigators preserved the Nov. 23 Facebook video through a preservation request to Meta, the parent company of the social media platform, and authenticated it by comparing the preserved copy with a screen-recorded version of the briefing.

• The prosecution argued that a photocopy may be treated as an original document for evidentiary purposes, adding that documentary evidence is ruled upon only when it is formally offered before the court.

• The defense questioned the admissibility of the documentary evidence, arguing that the documents presented were not certified true copies and that only original documents should be marked and presented during trial. Escudero allowed the defense to raise the issue during cross-examination.

• The impeachment court allowed the prosecution to play a two-minute excerpt of the Nov. 23 press briefing despite the defense's objection that the entire two-hour-and-26-minute video should instead be shown.

• Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano suggested that the full two-hour-and-26-minute video be viewed during the defense's cross-examination. The defense said it would present the complete recording during its cross-examination.

• Calilung also identified an Oct. 18, 2024, Office of the Vice President (OVP) press conference containing similar remarks by Duterte. The court also played on President Marcos' response to those statements.

• Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros asked whether the two videos were similar. Calilung said both referred to the President and reflected the worsening rift between the Marcos and Duterte camps.

• Hontiveros also asked whether Duterte's acts were impeachable and criminal. Ligutan argued that while the statements do not conclusively prove she hired an assassin, they may establish intent, plan, or system under the Rules of Evidence and form the basis of the NBI case.

• Escudero said Hontiveros' questions already touched on the central issue of the impeachment trial. Senator-judge Pia Cayetano moved to strike the prosecution's statements from the record, but Escudero deferred action on the motion.

• The defense questioned Calilung's testimony, suggesting he was following a script. The prosecution objected, while Escudero noted the parties' comments.

• Calilung presented the signed interview records of the late Inquirer reporter Dempsey Reyes and former Rappler reporter Bonz Magsambol, who confirmed hearing Duterte's Nov. 23 statements.

• Calilung said the NBI recommended filing charges of inciting to sedition and three counts of grave threats against Duterte under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

• Investigators also identified three additional videos—from June 19, July 11, and Nov. 26, 2024—as relevant to the case.

• Escudero reminded senator-judges to consider only evidence presented through sworn witnesses, not counsel's arguments.

• The court played Duterte's Nov. 26 interview, but Ligutan withdrew his final question after the defense objected.

• The trial adjourned at exactly 6:31 p.m.

DAY 3: JULY 8, 2026

The third day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial continued on July 8, 2026, convening at 2:00 p.m. with 21 of the 24 senator-judges present under Presiding Officer Francis Escudero. The session focused on the defense’s cross-examination of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, the prosecution’s first witness under Article IV on alleged grave threats. 

• On Day three of the Impeachment Case, the Senate convened at 2:00 p.m. with twenty-one of the 24 senator-judges present. Among the absent are Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, and Sen. Ronald Bato dela Rosa. 

• Minority leader and Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano cautioned colleagues to avoid prejudicial questions, noting that in the previous session, senator-judges had already asked whether Duterte’s remarks were impeachable or criminal. Presiding Officer Escudero flagged those queries as touching on the central issue of the trial.

• Presiding Officer Francis Escudero later warned both panels to avoid perorations, referring to long speeches or arguments, to keep the proceedings focused on evidence and questioning. 

• Senator-judge Pia Cayetano withdrew her earlier motion to strike prosecutor Amando Ligutan’s July 7 statement, in which he declared that Duterte’s remarks were abnormal and “110 percent sure” betrayed public trust – a remark she had flagged as resembling a premature closing argument. 

• Defense counsel Atty. Carlo Joaquin Narvasa cross-examined NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, the prosecution’s first witness under Article IV on grave threats.

• Narvasa questioned Calilung’s two-week digital forensics training under MaxCor Inter-Ventures Co., a forensic software provider, and presented the company's corporate documents and website, whose relevance the prosecution disputed.

• Calilung confirmed that affidavits from journalists and offended parties were not attached to the February 2025 affidavit, though the Department of Justice (DOJ) later certified the documents as sufficient for preliminary investigation.

• Calilung mentioned that the NBI conducted a motu proprio investigation, an inquiry initiated on its own authority. He also added that the NBI tried to investigate threats against Duterte herself.

• At 3:16 p.m., the defense played portions of Duterte’s November 23, 2024, online press briefing, which included a video of OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez questioning her transfer to the Women’s Correctional, insisting she was not a criminal, and claiming her life was being threatened.

• At 3:37 p.m., Narvasa declared no further questions; Ligutan indicated he would conduct recross-examination. 

• Senator-judges raised questions during cross-examination:

  • Sen. Raffy Tulfo asked how AI manipulation was ruled out.

  • Sen. Bam Aquino confirmed two versions of Calilung’s affidavit.

  • Sen. Francis Pangilinan asked about Calilung’s training background.

  • Sen. Risa Hontiveros pressed whether threats could be excused by Lopez’s detention; Narvasa claimed systematic oppression by the House.

  • Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian clarified MaxCor’s role as a supplier of digital forensic tools.

  • Sen. Erwin Tulfo asked if the NBI could investigate threats without a request; Calilung answered in the affirmative.

• Prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan waived the redirect examination.

• Ligutan confirmed that the prosecution will present a witness to testify on the alleged hitman mentioned in Duterte’s November 23, 2024, video.

• House prosecutor Rep. Lorenz Defensor announced upcoming witnesses: NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc (July 13), Atty. Zuleika Lopez (July 14), and Capt. Belinda Bello (July 15).

• At 4:57 p.m., the Senate impeachment trial court adjourned and will resume on Monday, July 13, 2026.

Article: Samuel Eneluna and Janelle Dimalaluan

Graphics: Nicole Beverly Maniego