SENATE impeachment court presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero admonished National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag over remarks pertaining to individual members of the impeachment court.
During the resumption of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Matibag was presented by the House prosecution panel as witness in relation to the grave threats and inciting to sedition accusations.
“Director Matibag, the chair would like to remind and admonish on behalf of the impeachment court to kindly avoid statement pertaining to individual members of this impeachment court without prejudice to any investigation you’re undertaking. You may do so but without need of issuing statement that may impinge upon the independence and the integrity of the court or the individual senator judges,” said Escudero.
Escudero also noted that the court is referring to the Senate as a legislative body, particularly to the Committee on Rules, the manifestations made by Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano on July 15 for proper disposition.
Last week, Matibag said they will be reopening the probe into the alleged irregularities in the infrastructure project related to the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, which Cayetano chaired through the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee.
Cayetano accused Matibag of trying to intimidate him as he served as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Duterte.
Matibag vehemently denied Cayetano’s accusations, saying they are merely doing their job as an investigative body. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)