MANILA, Philippines— An official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) testified on the fourth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial Monday that Duterte publicly threatened President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at least six times, with the repeated statements meeting the elements of the crime of grave threats under Philippine law.

Jeremy Lotoc, NBI regional director for the National Capital Region and one of the lead investigators in the bureau’s probe of Duterte’s alleged assassination remarks, took the witness stand for the House prosecution panel to bolster Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses the Vice President of making grave threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Under questioning by prosecutors, Lotoc testified that the NBI documented at least six separate occasions in which Duterte made statements threatening the President’s life. He said investigators concluded that the repeated declarations were not mere expressions of anger or political rhetoric but constituted threats punishable under the Revised Penal Code.

The prosecution sought to establish that the alleged threats formed a continuing pattern of conduct rather than an isolated remark, arguing that Duterte repeatedly expressed an intention to have President Marcos killed under certain circumstances.

The NBI official also explained the bureau’s investigation into Duterte’s controversial statement that she had contracted someone to kill the President, the First Lady, and Romualdez should she herself be assassinated. Prosecutors used his testimony to argue that the statements were serious enough to warrant a criminal investigation and were relevant to determining whether Duterte committed betrayal of public trust and other impeachable offenses.

The defense is expected to challenge the NBI’s conclusions during cross-examination, maintaining its position that Duterte’s statements have been taken out of context and should not be construed as criminal threats or grounds for impeachment.

The Senate impeachment court is hearing Article IV of the impeachment complaint before proceeding to the remaining articles endorsed by the House of Representatives.