THE House prosecution panel on Wednesday opposed efforts to exclude records predating 2022 from the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, arguing that her current net worth cannot be properly assessed without examining how her assets were accumulated over time.
House prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon raised the issue during the fourth day of evidence-marking proceedings before the Senate impeachment court, where prosecutors and defense lawyers continued reviewing documents that may be presented during the impeachment trial set to begin on July 6.
According to Ridon, the defense panel appeared to be taking the position that records covering periods before Duterte assumed the vice presidency should be excluded from consideration.
“I think we have to be very clear that you cannot reach P88.5 million in 2024 without starting from a particular date,” Ridon said in a media interview.
“Which is why 2007 up until 2024 are relevant dates relating to the current net worth of the VP which is specifically in issue on unexplained wealth,” he added.
One of the articles of impeachment accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth, making her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) and other financial records a key point of dispute between the prosecution and the defense.
Ridon said the prosecution’s position is that the allegation cannot be examined by looking only at Duterte’s finances from 2022 onward.
Rather, he said, the impeachment court must be allowed to trace the origins and growth of her assets to determine whether her wealth can be adequately explained.
“I think ang position ho nila, everything prior to 2022 should be excluded,” Ridon said, referring to Duterte’s defense lawyers.
He continued: “Pero katulad ng sabi ko, hindi naman magiging multi-millionaire in a single day, in a single year. It should be built from somewhere.”
The issue traces back to findings presented before the House Committee on Justice, which reviewed Duterte’s SALNs from 2007 to 2024.
The records showed her declared net worth rising from about P7.25 million in 2007 to P88.5 million in 2024.
The committee cited the significant increase, along with other financial records and disclosures, in supporting the article of impeachment alleging unexplained wealth.
The Senate impeachment court is currently conducting pre-trial proceedings, including the marking of documentary evidence, ahead of the formal start of trial on July 6.
The House prosecution panel is expected to present documents and witnesses relating to Duterte’s financial disclosures and asset accumulation as part of its case.
