THE Senate Impeachment Court on Thursday granted the House prosecution’s request to subpoena representatives of seven banks and seven insurance and financial companies as it prepares to present financial records in Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment trial.
The seven banks are Land Bank of the Philippines, Asia United Bank, Philippine Savings Bank, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Philippine National Bank and BDO Unibank.
Representatives are scheduled to be presented Tuesday, Oct. 6, following the prosecution’s presentation of a Bureau of Internal Revenue witness on Monday.
House lead prosecutor Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro pf Batangas said the banks would be presented in the same sequence listed in the prosecution’s subpoena request.
Presiding Officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero then enumerated the seven banks in open court before confirming the schedule with Luistro.
The prosecution will also call representatives of Prudential Life, Allianz, Manufacturers Life, FWD Life, BPI-AIA Life, BDO Securities and BDO Life.
“We concur, Your Honor,” Luistro said when Escudero asked whether they would also be presented in the order listed in the subpoena request.
Escudero granted the prosecution’s request for subpoenas duces tecum et ad testificandum covering the BIR and the identified banks and insurance and financial companies.
The subpoenas require the representatives to appear before the impeachment court and bring the records covered by the orders.
The defense also requested advance copies of any summaries or other documents that the BIR and financial institution witnesses intend to identify during their testimony.
Escudero granted the request and directed the prosecution to provide the materials ahead of the witnesses’ appearances, similar to the procedure followed for the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
“We submit, Your Honor,” Luistro said.
The financial institution witnesses form part of the prosecution’s presentation under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment involving Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth and financial transactions.
The prosecution earlier said it was prepared to establish subpoenaed bank records “piece by piece, bank by bank” after the impeachment court rejected its bid to compel Duterte to respond to a Request for Admission covering the records.
AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura is scheduled to begin his testimony Thursday afternoon and continue Friday if necessary.
metrosundaily
