The Senate impeachment court on Monday granted the House prosecution’s request to subpoena Vice President Sara Duterte’s financial records, allowing prosecutors to obtain bank, tax, and anti-money laundering documents they say are crucial to proving allegations of unexplained wealth under the Articles of Impeachment.
Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero approved separate requests directing banks, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and other institutions to produce financial records covering Duterte, her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, the law firm Carpio Lawyers, and 19 corporate entities identified by the prosecution.
The impeachment court ordered the requested records to be submitted to the Office of the Clerk of Court by 9 a.m. on July 30.
The subpoena order marks one of the most significant procedural rulings in the impeachment trial as prosecutors seek documentary evidence to support Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth and misusing confidential funds.
In explaining the ruling, Escudero cited the 2012 impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, saying financial records may be examined when determining whether an impeachable official possesses unexplained wealth.
Earlier in the proceedings, House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno argued that Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) alone were insufficient to establish whether an official’s wealth was lawfully acquired.
“The truth is not confidential. Bank secrecy was never intended to be a shield for unexplained wealth or an absolute barrier against accountability to the sovereign Filipino people,” Diokno told the impeachment court.
The defense opposed the request, describing it as an unwarranted fishing expedition and arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient basis for the subpoenas.
The impeachment court, however, ruled that the requested records were relevant to the allegations under Article II and granted the prosecution’s motions.
Following the ruling, Diokno described the decision as a step toward uncovering the truth behind the Vice President’s financial transactions, while defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said the camp had anticipated the outcome and would continue to contest the allegations during trial.
The impeachment proceedings are scheduled to resume with the continuation of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence.
