HOUSE Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chair Joel Chua on Thursday pushed back against claims made by Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab defending Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, saying the attempt to downplay the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) findings misses the most basic and damaging issue: six straight years of SALNs declaring zero cash on hand and zero cash in bank.
Chua, a lawyer and member of the House Committee on Justice, said Ungab’s public argument—circulating on social media—that the issue should be limited to around P63.8 million during Duterte’s vice presidential years, instead of the broader P3.92 billion figure, does not resolve the central contradiction.
“Ang punto dito ay hindi kung alin sa dalawang halaga ang paniniwalaan. Kahit alin pa diyan, nananatili ang tanong: bakit zero ang dineklara mong cash on hand at cash in bank sa SALN mo mula 2019?” Chua asked.
For Chua, the matter ultimately boils down to a principle that applies across government:
“Hindi ito laban ng malaki o maliit na halaga. Ito ay laban ng pantay na pagpapatupad ng batas. Walang special rule sa SALN—kahit sino ka pa,” Chua said.
He emphasized that the issue is not about the size of the transactions but about truthful and complete disclosure in a sworn statement required of all public officials.
“It is a violation of the sanctity of the SALN. Hindi ito usapin ng interpretation—ito ay usapin ng pagsunod sa malinaw na obligasyon sa batas,” he said.
Chua then anchored his rebuttal on fairness and equal accountability across the bureaucracy, drawing a stark comparison with ordinary government workers.
“Yung mga simpleng empleyado ng gobyerno—kahit maliit ang kita—nagde-declare ng tama sa kanilang SALN. At kapag nagkamali sila, napaparusahan agad—nasususpinde o natatanggal sa serbisyo,” he said.
“Ngayon, kapag vice president ka ba, exempted ka na sa rule na ito? May ibang standard ba para sa mataas na opisyal?” he added.
According to Chua, Ungab’s framing inadvertently reinforces the credibility gap, because even the smaller figure being cited still has to be reconciled with six consecutive SALNs reflecting no liquid assets.
“Kahit sa sarili nilang argumento, may bank transactions ka habang zero ang dineclare mong cash. Hindi nagtutugma. At ‘yan ang hindi nila masagot nang diretso,” he said.
Chua noted that earlier records presented before the House Committee on Justice showed that Duterte’s SALNs from 2019 to 2024 consistently reported no cash on hand or in bank, even as her net worth increased year after year.
“That pattern is what gives weight to the AMLC findings. Hindi lang ito galaw ng pera—kundi ang malinaw na disconnect sa sinumpaang deklarasyon,” he said.
He cautioned the public against being distracted by attempts to reduce the issue to competing figures.
“Ang SALN hindi press release, hindi spin, at hindi puwedeng selective ang disclosure. Kung may pumapasok at lumalabas na pera sa system, obligasyon mong ilagay ‘yan sa SALN mo,” Chua said.
The lawmaker reiterated the core question now confronting the Vice President: “Kung may bank transactions, bakit mula 2019 wala ni isang sentimong dineklarang cash on hand o cash in bank? ”
The issue gained further traction after AMLC disclosures showing that accounts linked to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, reflected billions in covered and suspicious transactions over an extended period, intensifying scrutiny over the gap between actual financial activity and sworn disclosures.
