HOUSE impeachment adviser and spokesperson Ace Barbers on Wednesday pressed Vice President Sara Z. Duterte to explain more than P1 million in annual income outside her salary and her continuing Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) registration for legal activities.
The former Surigao del Norte representative and governor reviewed the tax records during a November 4 press conference ahead of the defense presentation in Duterte’s impeachment trial.
“Ang line of business sa kanyang certificate ay nakalagay, legal activities,” he said.
Barbers linked the registration to the income reported apart from Duterte’s compensation as vice president.
“At may kita siya dito bukod sa kanyang sahod sa pagiging VP. P1.06-M noong 2024, P1.08-M noong taong 2025,” he said.
The joint financial statements filed with the tax returns separately list Duterte’s other income as P1,058,021 for 2024 and P1,082,800 for 2025. Earlier Bureau of Internal Revenue testimony distinguished those entries from compensation income.
Barbers contrasted two readings of the amounts presented during the trial.
“At dahil dito, ang basa ng BIR, o ang presumption ng BIR, kita iyan mula sa kanyang propesyon,” he said.
“Sa report naman ni Atty. Cabrera, ito ay business income,” Barbers added, referring to forensic analyst Alexander Cabrera.
BIR witness Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez said during the trial the financial statements did not identify the source of the other income.
Her inference about legal practice rested on Duterte’s registration for legal activities.
Barbers sought an explanation of the income’s source as prosecutors examined restrictions on private professional practice and business participation during the vice presidency.
He also raised questions about whether Duterte had left company boards or surrendered business interests after assuming office.
Paying taxes did not settle whether the underlying activity was permitted, he argued.
“Kahit nagbayad na ng tax, it will not legalize or justify the income,” Barbers said.
He sought records concerning the status of her professional registration.
“Ipakita ang pagsasara ng professional registration sa BIR,” he said.
Duterte’s lawyers have contested the admission of BIR documents among the prosecution’s financial evidence.
The income question falls under Article II, covering alleged unexplained wealth, asset-disclosure violations and prohibited business interests.
The defense is scheduled to begin presenting its evidence on November 9.
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