HOUSE impeachment prosecutor and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila M. de Lima on Monday said the sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) box should be opened and its contents marked, stressing that marking the documents does not yet resolve questions of admissibility, relevance or evidentiary weight.
De Lima made the statement when asked about the defense team’s request for an executive session on the opening of the BIR box, while also saying it was not opposed to opening it.
The BIR box has been a contested issue in the impeachment case because it is believed to contain tax records that may be relevant to the allegations against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
For De Lima, the prosecution’s position is clear.
“Ang pwede kong sabihin ngayon tungkol sa pag-open ng BIR box at sa pagpapamarka ng mga laman nito ay kailangan, dapat talaga buksan ‘yan at dapat talaga makita ‘yung laman,” De Lima said.
She said the immediate question is not yet whether the documents will be admitted as evidence or how much weight the Senate impeachment court will later give them.
“Wala naman ito tungkol sa admissibility o relevance, katulad nung sinabi ko kanina, probative value or evidentiary weight,” De Lima said.
De Lima also said she does not see the need for an executive session if the current task is simply to open the box and mark its contents.
“At least my position is that hindi naman kailangan ng executive session. Bakit kailangan pa ng executive session?” she said.
She said confidentiality objections may be argued separately, but the prosecution should be allowed to mark the documents because they are included in its list of evidence.
De Lima noted that the defense also listed “BIR submissions” among its reserve evidence.
She said the box may include income tax returns of Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, as well as tax records of companies where they may have business interests.
“Baka kasama ‘yan, ‘yung mga ITRs of the spouses, VP Sara and Mans Carpio, and ‘yung mga companies na meron silang business interest, ‘yung mga other tax records,” De Lima said.
For De Lima, the next step should be straightforward: open the BIR box, identify what is inside, and mark the documents for the impeachment court’s consideration.
“Yes, kailangan buksan ‘yan para markahan ‘yung laman niyan, ‘yun po ang pinaka-posisyon ng prosecution,” De Lima said.
metrosundaily
