Clearer info on VP’s alleged hitman possible in 3-6 months – Matibag

National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag testifies on Day 8 of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (INQUIRER / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA) MANILA, Philippines— The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) may have clearer information within three to six months about the person that Vice President Sara Duterte had allegedly contracted to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. This was according to NBI Director Melvin Matibag Matibag, who testified in the impeachment trial of the vice president on Tuesday. Initially, Matibag could not exactly say when the NBI’s special task force could identify the assassin. Article continues after this advertisement “I can’t give an exact time, but the task force was established on April 16 and is doing great progress. So I believe we’re getting close to identifying the individual we’re looking for,” he said partly in Filipino in response to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian’s queries. Gatchalian then pressed for a definite time frame, asking the NBI chief if the hitman could be identified within three or six months. “Probably within the next three to six months, we will have clearer data on the matter,” Matibag replied. Within three to six months, we expect to identify the person who was allegedly contracted?, Gatchalian asked again. “That is what we expect,” the NBI chief answered. Article continues after this advertisement Before this, Matibag told the court that they already have persons of interest (POIs), who might have knowledge of the alleged assassination plot mentioned by the vice president during an online media briefing in November 2024. And one of them, he said, could be the vice president’s assassin. Article continues after this advertisement But when Gatchalian pressed later about the identity of the hitman, Matibag admitted that they have yet to identify the alleged assassin. /gsg Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.