THE submission of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s tax records to the Senate Impeachment Court marks another major step in establishing the documentary trail behind the unexplained wealth charge against her, House prosecution adviser and spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers said Friday.
Barbers also welcomed the move of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to release the records, saying it allowed the Impeachment Court to obtain key documents through the proper legal process.
“This ensures that the Impeachment Court can examine all relevant records in its search for the truth,” Barbers, a former Surigao del Norte congressman and governor, said.
According to the former lawmaker, the tax records will not be examined in isolation but will be compared with Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), bank records and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reports subpoenaed by the Impeachment Court.
“Taken together, these documents complete the documentary trail. They will allow the Impeachment Court to determine whether the Vice President’s declared wealth is consistent with her income and financial transactions,” he said.
Barbers stressed that the House prosecution has consistently maintained that its case is anchored on official government records.
“May resibo. May dokumento. May paper trail. Hindi ito usapin ng haka-haka o pulitika. Ang ebidensiya ay nagmumula sa mga opisyal na rekord ng gobyerno,” he said.
He said the growing body of documentary evidence would allow the Impeachment Court to objectively determine whether the unexplained wealth charge is supported by the facts.
“Kapag pinagsama-sama ang tax records, bank records, AMLC reports at SALNs, magkakaroon ang impeachment court ng malinaw na batayan sa pagpapasya. Iyan ang layunin ng due process—ang mailabas ang buong katotohanan batay sa dokumentadong ebidensiya,” Barbers said.
metrosundaily
