NBI recommendations 'not binding upon' DOJ, court — exec

The recommendations of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are not binding upon the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the local courts, an official said Monday.

Testifying on Duterte’s impeachment trial, NBI-Bangsamoro Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc on Monday.

“The DOJ will assess and evaluate,” Lotoc told the Senate impeachment court.

The second week of Duterte’s impeachment trial opened with Lotoc, testifying on Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which concerns the alleged grave threats and assassination plot targeting President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

During the cross-examination, Atty. Mark Vinluan, one of Duterte’s legal counsel, asked the NBI if their recommendations were binding upon the DOJ.

Lotoc was also asked if the NBI clarified - during a House hearing on the impeachment case - if their recommendations were not binding upon the court, and if they agree that the authority to determine guilt or innocence lies with the court.

“Wala pong question sa amin. Wala kaming na-clarify,” he added.

(We were not asked, so we weren’t able to clarify that.)

Lotoc was presented as the second witness of the House prosecution panel. He previously served as chief of the NBI Cybercrime Division, which investigated Duterte's late-night online press conference in November 2024, during which she allegedly disclosed that she had contracted an assassin to kill Marcos, the First Lady, and Romualdez should she herself be assassinated. — BAP, GMA News