THE House prosecution has outlined three core matters Vice President Sara Z. Duterte must address in her impeachment trial, all central to Article II — the sole remaining charge alleging unexplained wealth.
Private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan identified these during a press briefing: failure to fully declare assets in official Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), the unclear source of funds beyond known lawful income, and the alleged refusal to divest from business interests despite a constitutional ban.
First, Kapunan questioned whether bank deposits and properties were completely disclosed in Duterte’s SALNs. “If you did not declare them, those are unexplained,” she stated.
Second, she noted that the wealth reflected in the records could not be accounted for by government salary alone, adding that Securities and Exchange Commission filings show no dividends were distributed by companies where Duterte served as incorporator, director, or officer.
Third, Kapunan emphasized that Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution prohibits the Vice President from engaging in business while in office, yet Duterte’s continued involvement in three companies indicates she did not properly divest upon assuming the vice presidency in 2022.
Forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera previously estimated at least ₱817.87 million in undeclared assets and unexplained wealth between 2022 and 2025 — a figure that could reach ₱1.5 billion under a broader assessment. The defense has contested the prosecution’s reading of financial and corporate documents. Duterte is set to begin presenting her rebuttal before the Senate Impeachment Court on Monday, November 9.
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