Defense spots discrepancies in NBI records at VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team questioned the National Bureau of Investigation's documentation in her impeachment trial on Monday (July 13, 2026), highlighting inconsistencies in docket numbers, typographical errors and an apparent alteration in a Department of Justice receiving stamp.

During the cross-examination of NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc, the prosecution's second witness, defense counsel Mark Vinluan shifted the focus from Duterte's alleged threats to the records the bureau submitted to the DOJ in connection with her October and November 2024 statements.

Vinluan pointed out that the docket number appearing on the NBI's copy ended in "048," while the docket numbers reflected in the DOJ's February 5 and February 14 certifications ended in "049."

Lotoc said he could not explain the discrepancy, saying he had no personal knowledge of how the docket numbers were assigned.

He told the impeachment court that the DOJ, not the NBI, assigns and replaces docket numbers.

The defense also questioned an Investigation Data Form attached to the NBI's initial investigation affidavit, arguing that the DOJ's receiving stamp appeared to have been changed from Feb. 12, 2025, to Jan. 30, 2025.

Private prosecutor Amando Ligutan objected, saying the question was misleading because the defense had not established that the document had in fact been tampered with or obtained such an admission from the witness.

Although Lotoc had earlier testified that another NBI agent handled the filing and that he had no personal knowledge of the document, Vinluan continued asking whether the discrepancy suggested tampering.

Lotoc acknowledged that he noticed the issue but said he could not explain it, adding that questions regarding the receiving stamp should instead be addressed to the DOJ.

Despite the discrepancies raised by the defense, Lotoc maintained that the affidavits contained no substantive differences in their statements.

The documents relate to the NBI's findings submitted to the DOJ over Duterte's alleged threats during her October 2024 press conference and her November 2024 online press conference.

A docket number is the unique code assigned by the DOJ or a court to identify and track a legal case or complaint, while a receiving stamp indicates when a document was officially filed with a government agency or court.

The documentary evidence was presented during the second week of Duterte's impeachment trial, where proceedings are centered on the grave threats and inciting to sedition allegations under Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment.