HOUSE prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno on Wednesday told the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court that the confidentiality provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) should not be interpreted to prevent the Court from obtaining Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records relevant to the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
During the prosecution’s oral arguments on its motion for subpoenas, Diokno explained that the confidentiality provisions under the AMLA were enacted for a specific purpose—to protect the integrity of money laundering investigations—not to prevent a constitutionally created impeachment court from performing its duty.
Addressing the Court, Diokno said: “While the law does contain a confidentiality clause, it was designed to prevent AMLC officials from leaking information to persons who are the subject of CTRs and STRs and preserve the integrity of investigations.”
He emphasized that the law should not be read in a manner that frustrates the constitutional process of impeachment.
“It was not designed to short-circuit impeachment proceedings or prevent the Impeachment Court from ascertaining the truth.”
Diokno stressed that the Constitution entrusts the Senate with the sole power to try and decide impeachment cases, including determining what evidence is necessary to resolve the issues before it.
“The Constitution vests this Impeachment Court with extraordinary powers.”
He added that because those powers come directly from the Constitution, they cannot be curtailed by an interpretation of an ordinary statute that defeats the very purpose of impeachment.
“Because this power comes directly from the Constitution, no one—no person, no law, and no administrative rule—can limit or supersede it.”
Diokno said the prosecution is asking the Court to exercise its constitutional authority so it can decide the case based on a complete factual record.
“Ang hiling ng prosekusyon ay mailabas ang buong katotohanan, so that this Honorable Court may decide the case based on the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
He concluded by reminding the Court that impeachment is ultimately anchored on the constitutional principle of accountability to the Filipino people.
“Sa proseso ng impeachment, ang pananagutan sa taumbayan ang pinakamahalaga sa lahat. Mas matimbang ito kaysa personal na interes ng sinumang opisyal na inaakusahan.”
Diokno said the requested AMLC reports, together with the other subpoenaed documents, would enable the Impeachment Court to carry out its constitutional duty of determining the case on the basis of all relevant evidence.
“Kaya naman po, ang hiling namin sa Korte: Gamitin ang inyong natatanging karapatan at kapangyarihan na busisiin ang bank records, tax records, at AMLC reports… Sa ganitong paraan, madedesisyunan ninyo ang kaso base sa buong katotohanan—the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—para sa interes at kapakanan ng sambayanang Pilipino.”
