Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano criticized National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag for requesting a schedule change in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, asserting that public officials should not dictate the court’s calendar based on their personal availability.
The friction arose during Monday’s session when House prosecutor and Iloilo Representative Lorenz Defensor asked the Senate impeachment court to advance Matibag’s testimony to Tuesday. Defensor explained that the NBI chief is slated to attend an international summit with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Bangkok next week.
Cayetano strongly opposed the adjustment, emphasizing that lawmakers have put their own major commitments on hold to accommodate the trial’s rigorous schedule.
“I find it in bad taste that a bureau head will dictate to us that he’s not available next week,” Cayetano said.
“We have put aside many, many important things… because we have to be here 2:00 o’clock until matapos tayo every Monday to Wednesday,” he added.
Warning that accommodating the request could set a dangerous standard for future witnesses, Cayetano questioned the logic of shifting the timeline.
“Siya na yung mauna tomorrow? That might be a bad precedent, Mr. presiding officer,” Cayetano told Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who is presiding over the trial.
Defensor defended the motion, clarifying that the prosecution was merely requesting a one-day advancement for the witness.
“We will only be advancing his testimony one day based on the subpoena that we have requested the honorable court,” Defensor said.
However, the timeline came under scrutiny when Escudero noted that the NBI chief was not even on the official roster of individuals set to take the stand.
“Matibag was not included (in the list of witnesses). In fact, I don’t think we issued a subpoena for Director Matibag for this week,” Escudero said.
Senate Secretary and impeachment clerk Renato Bantug Jr. verified the Senate President’s observation.
Consequently, Escudero ordered the House prosecution team to submit all relevant documents provided by Matibag to both the court and the defense counsel.
The Senate President stated that the materials must be carefully evaluated by all parties before the court renders a final decision on whether the NBI Director will be permitted to testify.