Barbers: Defense unlikely to refute VP Sara’s wealth evidence

HOUSE impeachment spokesperson Ace Barbers expressed doubt Wednesday that Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team can successfully counter the evidence presented by the prosecution regarding allegations of unexplained wealth.

Barbers emphasized that the evidence consists largely of official records — including the Vice President’s own Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), income tax returns, and bank documents — which he described as self‑attested and independently verifiable. “How can you deny evidence where the documents themselves come from the defense’s own camp?” Barbers said, noting that these are sworn declarations submitted to government agencies.

The prosecution has narrowed the case to focus on Article II, which accuses Duterte of accumulating wealth disproportionate to her lawful income, failing to truthfully disclose assets in her SALNs, and maintaining prohibited business interests.

Financial forensic analyst Alexander Cabrera, testifying as an expert witness, estimated that Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, hold approximately ₱817.87 million in undeclared assets and unexplained wealth between 2022 and 2025. The evidence presented also includes corporate filings and records from the Anti‑Money Laundering Council.

“Bank records will never lie,” Barbers stated, adding that financial institutions themselves would confirm the reported balances. He argued that the documentary nature of the evidence makes it extremely difficult to refute, as these are not claims that can simply be dismissed as fabricated.

“I personally believe they have no evidence to controvert what we have laid out,” Barbers said, concluding that the weight of official documentation places the burden squarely on the defense to provide credible, verifiable evidence to the contrary.