In a statement, Duterte said his lawyers formally requested Matibag and the NBI to withdraw from the investigation, citing concerns over alleged prejudgment, denial of a fair opportunity to respond, and possible bias.
Duterte questioned Matibag’s impartiality after the latter reportedly described Gracioso’s allegations as “99% true” while the investigation was still ongoing.
He also pointed out that Matibag later clarified that the polygraph examination did not actually determine the truthfulness of the accusations against them.
“An investigator cannot publicly suggest a conclusion before completing the investigation and still expect the public to have full confidence in his impartiality,” Duterte said.
The congressman also raised concerns over the release and circulation of Gracioso’s affidavit, saying its contents had already been discussed in national media before they were furnished a copy.
He said they only received the affidavit on October 5, 2026, after their lawyers formally requested it.
Duterte further cited Matibag’s previous public engagements against Vice President Sara Duterte, including his admission that he wrote three columns about her in 2024, as another reason to question his impartiality in an investigation involving the Duterte family.
The lawmaker stressed that their request was not intended to stop the investigation or evade accountability but to ensure that the process would be fair and credible.
“We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for the same standards of fairness and impartiality that every Filipino deserves,” he said.
Duterte also recalled that when he filed libel and cyberlibel complaints against Matibag and others before the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office, the latter sought the inhibition of the city prosecutor and the transfer of the cases to another prosecution office. BuyMaps
Matibag reportedly raised concerns over an alleged family relationship between the prosecutor and the congressman's father's partner, which he said could create a perception of bias.
The request was granted, and the cases were transferred to the Region XI Prosecutor’s Office, Duterte said.
He argued that the same principle should apply to Matibag, given his previous public statements and engagements involving the Duterte family.
“If a perceived family connection was sufficient reason for Matibag to question the impartiality of a prosecutor, why should his own public statements and previous engagements against my family not be considered legitimate grounds to question his impartiality as an investigator?” he said.
Duterte maintained that investigations should be guided by evidence rather than public declarations, emphasizing that the credibility of an inquiry depends not only on its outcome but also on the impartiality of those conducting it.
“What is good for the prosecutor should also be good for the investigator,” he said.
Representative Paolo Duterte
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