THE House prosecution panel on Monday night welcomed the Senate Impeachment Court’s decision granting its requests to subpoena Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s bank, financial, and tax records, calling the ruling a victory not only for the prosecution but ultimately for truth, accountability, and the Filipino people.
After the seventh day of the impeachment trial, House prosecution legal spokesperson Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. explained that the impeachment court agreed that the panel had sufficiently shown the relevance and specificity of the documents it sought.
These motions covered the specified bank records, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) records involving Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, Carpio Lawyers, and 19 other entities.
“As we have seen, we’re pleased that the impeachment court through the presiding officer granted our twin motions for issuance of subpoena for the submission of the BIR documents, AMLAC records, and the bank records of the vice president and her husband and their financial interest,” Tolosa said during a press conference.
While the court granted the request for the bank and AMLC records, he noted that some limitations were still made. These included exceptions involving foreign currency-denominated accounts and accounts related to JTC Group of Companies and Pikimong Pikimong Philippines Corporation.
The court also granted the subpoena for Duterte’s BIR records, subject to compliance with the exceptions under Section 71 of the National Internal Revenue Code. The concerned institutions were directed to submit the requested documents directly to the Senate impeachment court by July 30.
House prosecutor and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima described the ruling as “tagumpay ng katotohanan” and “tagumpay ng pananagutan,” saying it was equally a victory for the Senate impeachment court because it upheld its constitutional authority to compel the production of evidence.
“Hindi lang ito tagumpay ng prosecution o tagumpay ng defense, tagumpay din ito ng impeachment court,” De Lima said.
She explained that the ruling recognized that confidentiality provisions under existing laws, including those governing tax records and AMLC information, are not absolute and cannot override the impeachment court’s constitutional powers.
De Lima also welcomed the court’s decision allowing Duterte’s bank records dating back to 2007, saying these would establish the “factual baseline” of Duterte’s asset accumulation throughout her years in public office rather than introduce new grounds for impeachment.
In addition, the House public prosecutor said that the subpoena also covers the financial interests of Duterte’s spouse, which she pointed out is consistent with the prevailing property regime of absolute community of property.
“So this is really a very good day for the prosecution because of the grant. Wala nang makakahadlang sa paghanap ng katotohanan,” she added.
Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union echoed the prosecutors’ sentiments, calling the ruling “a big win for the madlang people.”
“Malaking panalo ‘to na makita ng tao ang lahat ng bank records at i-allow ito ng impeachment court,” Ortega said.
Deputy Speaker and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, meanwhile, stressed that the ruling was not yet a judgment on the merits of the impeachment case but merely an order directing government agencies and financial institutions to produce the requested records for the court’s consideration.
The subpoenas form part of the prosecution’s evidence for Article II of the articles of impeachment, which alleges that Duterte accumulated unexplained wealth while serving in public office.
metrosundaily
