VICE President Sara Z. Duterte’s own sworn SALN has become central to the impeachment case, as the House Committee on Justice placed her zero-cash declaration against official records showing alleged billion-peso transactions.
Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, chair of the House Committee on Justice, raised this point in her May 4 opening statement as the panel moved to finalize its committee report and articles of impeachment.
“Ngunit, mapagtatanto natin na meron na pala tayong hawak na ebidensya mula mismo sa kanya,” Luistro, a lawyer, noted.
“Hindi na natin kailangang tumingin pa sa malayo. We already have a sworn statement. Isang sinumpaang salaysay. Antagal na palang nandito,” Luistro continued.
Luistro then identified the sworn statement that, in her view, now stands beside the other documentary evidence gathered by the committee.
“Ang kanyang SALN,” Luistro stated.
“Isang dokumentong siya mismo ang pumirma, siya ang nanumpa, at siya ang nagsumite,” Luistro emphasized.
The justice panel had earlier examined Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) alongside the AMLC report, SEC documents, and other records submitted to the committee.
“At malinaw ang nakasaad doon: walang cash o cash deposit,” Luistro underscored.
Luistro said the committee could no longer avoid the contradiction between the sworn declaration and the official financial records that surfaced during the hearings.
“Ngayon, itabi natin ang SALN na iyon sa lahat ng ebidensyang ating natipon,” Luistro stated.
“Doon lumabas ang tanong na hindi na natin matatakasan: Kapag ang sinumpaang dokumento ay nagsabing ‘ZERO CASH,’ pero ang official report ay nagpapakita ng BILYON-BILYONG transaksyon, saan tayo maniniwala?” Luistro asked.
Earlier in the same statement, Luistro summarized the evidence the committee had considered, including the AMLC records that showed alleged transactions involving Duterte and her husband.
“Pang-anim, ang ulat ng AMLC patungkol sa P6.7 billion na mga transaksyon, napakalaking halaga na dumaloy sa mga account ng Bise Presidente at ng kanyang asawa,” Luistro recounted.
She also referred to findings from former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, which she said matched the AMLC records presented before the committee.
“Pangpito, ang mga natuklasan ni former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, na ang malaking bahagi ng kayamanang ito ay may kaugnayan sa illegal drugs, at ang mas nakakagulat: ang pahayag na ito ay tumutugma sa record ng AMLC,” Luistro stated.
The chair also cited the SEC documents that raised questions about Duterte’s business interests and the income of companies linked to her.
“Pangwalo, ang mga dokumento mula sa SEC, na nagpapatunay na walang kinikita ang mga kumpanya ng Bise Presidente, kahit nanatili siyang aktibo sa isa sa mga kumpanyang ito, na ang ibig sabihin ay pinagsabay niya ang pagiging Bise Presidente at pagpapatakbo ng negosyo,” Luistro noted.
For Luistro, the SALN was not just another document in the pile of evidence but a sworn record executed by Duterte herself.
She said the committee had also reviewed the COA findings related to confidential funds, including refund orders amounting to P73 million and P375 million.
“Panglima, ang COA findings na nag-uutos ng refund na P73 million at P375 million,” Luistro stated.
The committee also discussed the sealed BIR box during the April 29 hearing, but Luistro recalled that the panel chose not to open it despite having the authority to do so.
“Una, ang selyadong kahon mula sa BIR, na, sa kabila ng matinding debate, hindi muna natin binuksan, kahit nasa kapangyarihan naman natin na buksan ito,” Luistro explained.
After examining the evidence, Luistro said the committee decided there was already enough basis to move forward.
“Noong April 29, the Committee on Justice decided that we have seen enough,” Luistro stated.
By then, the panel had repeatedly called on Duterte to participate, but Luistro said the Vice President’s absence left the evidence unanswered before the committee.
“Sa bawat ebidensya, walang direktang sagot. Sa bawat tanong, walang paliwanag,” Luistro stressed.
Luistro said the committee ultimately voted unanimously to find probable cause.
“By a unanimous vote, this Committee found probable cause to impeach Vice President Sara Z. Duterte for culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust,” Luistro declared.
The panel is now set to transmit its committee report and articles of impeachment to the plenary, where the full House will decide whether to move the case to the Senate for trial.
“Let us pursue this to its logical conclusion. Otherwise, the cycle of impunity will only repeat,” Luistro urged.
