THE House prosecution is confident the Senate Impeachment Court will allow the admission of the subpoenaed bank, tax and other financial documents of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio in the ongoing impeachment trial.
Counsel for the House prosecution Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said the grant of the subpoenas by the Impeachment Court for the bank accounts, tax records and Anti-Money Laundering Council reports of the Duterte-Carpio couple was a positive step towards making these part of the evidence being presented by the prosecution against the Vice President.
“That is essentially what they allowed us to do when they granted the issuance of subpoenas. Wala na rason para hindi na ma-presenta ng prosecution ang evidence sa paglitis,” Tolosa said during an online press conference via Zoom.
Several banks and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) have already complied with the subpoenas issued by the Impeachment Court and have submitted the required documents to the clerk of court.
Tolosa said the documents will be examined by both the prosecution and defense panels and arguments will be made for and against the admission of these as evidence during the trial.
After hearing the arguments of both sides, Tolosa said the court will decide if the documents will be admitted as evidence.
“Inaasahan natin na tututulan ang evidence na ito. Karapatan nila ‘yan. Hindi pa ‘yan tinatanggap as evidence. Kasama ‘yan sa proseso and we’re ready to meet those objections with counter arguments,” Tolosa said.
Tolosa said the Duterte-Carpio couple are entitled to pursue all legal remedies to block the presentation and opening of the financial documents, but he believes what the Impeachment Court has done by issuing the subpoenas was right and legal.
He explained that the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, has the sole power to try and decide cases of impeachment as provided for under the Constitution.
Part of the broad powers given to the impeachment court is the issuance of subpoenas to compel the submission of evidence and the testimony of witnesses.
House trial spokesperson and impeachment adviser, former Surigao del Norte Rep. and Gov. Robert “Ace” Barbers emphasized that the objective of the prosecution is transparency in the presentation of evidence.
“Nang sa gaoon ay makita ng ating mamamayan at ng Senator-judges ‘yung kahalagahan ng ebidensyang inilalatag natin,” Barbers said.
“Importante din maintindihan ng ating kababayan na truth and accountability is the primary objective of this trial. Dahil nga gusto natin malaman ang katototohanan sa likod nitong mga allegations na nakalahad dito sa Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President,” he added.
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