AT LEAST 50 firearms allegedly registered under the names of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and her husband, Manases “Mans” Carpio, could push their actual net worth above the figures reported in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), House impeachment prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry L. Ridon said Tuesday.
In an interview with House reporters, Ridon said the House prosecution panel would seek records from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and could call the listed firearms dealers and a valuation expert to establish the acquisition value of the weapons during Duterte’s impeachment trial.
“So tatlo ho ‘yung kahalagahan nitong bagong ebidensya na ito. Una, yung pong type of property,” Ridon explained.
“Ibig kong sabihin, I think ‘yun pong mga properties na regulated properties katulad ng mga baril, firearms, dapat talagang declared ‘yan sa SALN po ng isang public official,” he added.
The Civil Service Commission’s SALN guidelines require public officials to declare all personal properties and specifically direct that registered personal properties, including firearms, be listed individually with details such as their year, mode and cost of acquisition.
Ridon said the quantity of firearms allegedly listed under the couple’s names and their possible total value distinguish the evidence from an ordinary omission involving a low-value personal item.
“Pangalawa, ‘yung dami. So ang question doon, tama ba na ganoong karami ‘yung pag-aari ng mag-asawa o isang public official, ganoong karami pong mga baril at mga armas na pinagsama?” Ridon asked.
“At pangatlo, syempre, ‘yong usapin na mismo ng value ng mga pag-aari po na ito. It was never disclosed in the SALN of the Vice President in any year,” he alleged.
The Bicol lawmaker initially referred to more than 30 firearms but placed the number at no fewer than 50 during the same interview.
“At least 50 po eh, ‘yung nabanggit ko kanina at least 30 pero I can say with confidence na at least 50 po ‘yung pag-aari ng mag-asawa Duterte-Carpio ng mga baril at armas,” Ridon disclosed.
He said the PNP listing covered several categories of firearms rather than a single type of weapon.
“Pinagsama po na rifles, revolvers, shotguns at pistols po ‘yung mga nakalista sa kanila pong mga pangalan,” Ridon noted.
Ridon said prosecutors would need testimony and documentary records to determine the total acquisition value because the mere number of firearms would not establish how much the couple paid for them.
“Kung limampu po mga ito, tingin ko milyun-milyon po so pagdating po ng paglilitis, we will invite po ang mga dealers kasi nakalista naman po mga dealers eh, doon po sa listahan po ng PNP at syempre if we get a valuation expert, para po makuha yung kabubuan,” Ridon explained.
“Pero I’m quite certain at least 50 ang pag-aari mga baril at armas tingin ko lagpas-lagpas ng million-million ang pinag-usapan po natin,” he added.
The CSC guidelines provide that a declarant’s net worth is computed by deducting total liabilities from the acquisition cost or declared value of all real and personal assets.
Ridon stressed that the prosecution was not questioning the purpose for which the firearms were acquired or used, but whether they were properly reflected in Duterte’s financial disclosures.
“Hindi naman ho relevant sa amin kung saan ho nila ginagamit ‘yun pong mga baril. Ang mas mahalaga po sa amin, hindi po ito nakalista sa SALN ng Pangalawang Pangulo na dapat linista po niya sa anuman hong taon na nagkaroon po siya na pag-aari ng mga baril po na ito,” Ridon emphasized.
He said the panel would separately examine whether adding the acquisition cost of the firearms would alter the net worth figures reported in Duterte’s successive SALNs.
“Una sa lahat isang bagay yung non-disclosure nung firearms ownership. Pero pangalawang bagay at ito yung kailangan naming siyasatin, kung reflective ba sa net worth itong dagdag na impormasyon,” Ridon pointed out.
“Pero supposedly kung ipapasok natin ‘yung firearms dapat mas mataas dun sa declared networth and asset list na nakalagay sa SALN, whether sa old SALNs or sa most recent SALN as of this week,” he added.
Ridon also rejected the possibility that the weapons could be treated as an unspecified component of the general “Others” entry in a SALN without a particular description.
“Kailangan talaga ma-state with particularity ano yung line items na dapat na nakalagay roon. Pero halimbawa yung usapin ng cash on hand, cash in bank, nakalista yun in the SALN law,” Ridon stated.
“So, ibig sabihin I don’t think it is a matter that can actually be lump into the others line item,” he added.
The firearms evidence forms part of the prosecution’s pretrial submission in the impeachment case, which includes an article concerning alleged discrepancies between Duterte’s declared wealth and assets attributed to her and her husband.
Ridon said the prosecution would ask the Senate impeachment court to compel the production of the PNP ownership records during the trial.
“Tama po. Kasama yan dun sa ipapa-subpoena, yun pong list of ownership ng mga rifles, pistols, revolvers at iba pang firearms na nasa pangalan po ng mag-asawang Duterte-Carpio,” Ridon said.
The prosecution and defense filed their pretrial briefs on June 15 ahead of the June 18 conference, with the trial scheduled to begin on July 6.
