House impeachment trial spokesperson and adviser Robert Ace Barbers said the defense team of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte should not fear the sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue box containing her tax records and those of her husband.
Barbers said that if Duterte’s wealth declarations are accurate, the records would only support her position and could work in her favor if publicly disclosed during the impeachment trial.
In a radio interview on Sunday, Barbers addressed the controversy over the sealed BIR box after the defense proposed opening it only during an executive session. The objection effectively left the box unmarked during the pre-trial conference.
Barbers said the prosecution panel would respect whatever the Senate impeachment court decides. However, he stressed that the BIR box contains highly relevant evidence, especially once the trial reaches Article 3, which involves allegations of unexplained wealth.
“Darating ang panahon na ipiprisenta po ulit ito dahil naniniwala ang prosecution team na very relevant at very material itong ebidensiyang ito,” he said.
“Sa punto na kung saan tatalakayin na ‘yung Article 3, ‘yung unexplained wealth—dito naglalaman ang box na ito ng mga ebidensya na maaaring magpatunay doon sa alegasyon ng prosecution at maaari rin naman mag-counter doon sa panig naman ng depensa,” he added.
Barbers, a former Surigao del Norte congressman, said the contents of the BIR box are not necessarily damaging to the Vice President because both the prosecution and defense may use the records to support their respective arguments.
“This evidence, this piece of evidence, will work both ways kapag ito ay ginamit during the trial dahil parehas naman pong common evidence ito ng dalawang panig,” Barbers said.
He said there is no reason for the defense to resist the eventual presentation of the evidence before the Senate impeachment court and the Filipino people.
“’Di dapat matakot sa ebidensya. If it supports the prosecution’s case, then this piece of evidence must be considered. Tanggapin dapat ito ng korte,” Barbers said.
“Eh sa aking pagkakaalam ang defense panel ay tinatanggap din po ito bilang isang kanilang ebidensiya to counter the prosecution’s allegation. So common evidence ito,” he added.
Barbers said the prosecution fully respects the Senate’s decision to have the BIR box returned to the House of Representatives for now, after the clerk of court could not rule on whether it could be marked as evidence amid the defense’s objection.
“Itong sa BIR box na ito ay temporary—for lack of a better term, temporary setback—dahil hindi pa ito ang appropriate time. But in the appropriate time, isusulong ulit ito,” he said.
Asked whether the prosecution would seek President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s permission to open the tax records, Barbers said the legal team has yet to discuss the matter but expressed confidence that it would decide at the proper time.
“In the meantime, wala pa pong napag-usapan dahil ngayon lang po lumabas ‘yan and I am certain that at the appropriate time again ay pag-uusapan at pagdedesisyunan po ‘yan,” he said.
Barbers said the most important thing is for Filipinos to hear the evidence directly and separate the facts from the political noise surrounding the impeachment proceedings.
“Ang pinakaimportante ay madinig ng ating kababayan ang ebidensya. ‘Yung political speculations o ’yung political angle tungkol dito sa trial na ito ay dapat isantabi muna natin. Tingnan natin kung ano bang ebidensiyang ilalatag ng dalawang panig para lumabas ang katotohanan,” he said.
“Gusto natin talaga malaman ang punot-dulo at ang katotohanan sa likod nitong usapin ng impeachment na ito,” Barbers stressed.
Duterte was impeached for a second time by the House in a landslide vote on May 11 over allegations of confidential fund misuse, bribery, unexplained wealth, and grave threats.
Since then, the Senate has changed leadership twice, raising questions over who should preside over the impeachment trial.
For the prosecution, Barbers said those questions are secondary, adding that the panel trusts the Senate to fulfill its constitutional mandate to conduct a fair trial regardless of who the majority chooses to preside.