FALSE: NBI senior agent Calilung arrested

Francine Balang

A social media post claims that National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) senior agent John Mark Calilung, who testified as the first witness for the charge of Article IV (grave threats) in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, was arrested. 

CLAIM

The post alleges that Calilung has been detained after testifying in the impeachment trial of Duterte.

RATING: FALSE

CONCLUSION

The claim is unsupported by any verified information. Calilung was present during the Senate impeachment trial on July 7 and 8 as a witness and was allowed to leave after the proceedings, indicating that no arrest order was issued against him.

THE FACTS

• Available reports from government agencies and credible news outlets contain no record of Calilung being arrested
• The videos used to support the claim did not show proof of any arrest order. Instead, they only featured commentary from a pro-Duterte vlogger and an interview with lawyer Salvador Panelo.
• Contrary to claims that the Senate ordered his arrest, Calilung was allowed to leave the plenary hall on July 8 after being cross-examined by defense counsel Mark Vinluan.

THE BOTTOMLINE

There is no evidence that Calilung was arrested after his testimony. The video circulating online do not show any arrest warrant and falsely suggest that the Senate ordered him taken into custody.