The prosecution panel handling the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte revealed that the upcoming unexplained wealth phase will introduce new financial documents before the Senate Impeachment Court, including previously unexamined bank and tax records belonging to the Vice President and her husband, Manases Carpio.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry L. Ridon stated that while earlier House impeachment hearings examined Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Office of the Ombudsman records, the Senate court has since issued subpoenas for specific bank, tax, and AMLC documents under Article II.
“Ito po iyong article na talagang mayroong bagong-bagong mga ebidensya,” Ridon said. “Ang hindi na lang natin nakikita, iyong BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) disclosures at iyong mga bank accounts.”
Ridon explained that the documents from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) would include income tax returns (ITRs) covering Duterte, Carpio, and their corporate entities, which will be introduced and tested during the trial.
“I’m certain, pagka binuksan iyong BIR at binuksan iyong bank accounts, tingin ko marami pa tayong makakalkal diyan sa bagay na iyan,” he said. “Iyong BIR documentation, iyong ITRs ng Pangalawang Pangulo, ng kanyang asawa at ng kanilang mga kumpanya, maisasalang iyon sa paglilitis. So bagong ebidensya iyon; wala pang nakakaalam noon up until that point.”
He added that the actual bank records would also be made public for the first time in these proceedings.
“Iyong bank accounts, pag nasalang iyon, wala pang nakakita noong actual na bank accounts ng Pangalawang Pangulo at ng kanyang asawa,” Ridon said.
The prosecution also plans to address the alleged non-disclosure of firearms in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). Prosecutors intend to compare her tax filings against her SALNs to establish lawful income alongside the transaction activity shown in bank and AMLC records.
“Iyong SALN iyong batayan ng pagsukat. Confirmatory iyong income net of taxes na makikita natin doon sa BIR. Iyon talaga iyong magpapakita ng legal na netong kita ng isang public official, kasama ang kanyang asawa,” Ridon noted.
Addressing the figures cited in the Articles of Impeachment—which outline ₱6.7 billion in total transactions and ₱4.4 billion in inflows associated with the couple—Ridon acknowledged that aggregated transactions over a long period do not automatically establish net worth or illegality.
“Ang mahalagang mapatunayan iyong agwat ng legal na kita, net of taxes, at kung talagang malaki iyong pagkakaiba doon sa mga pumasok sa bank accounts ng nasasakdal,” he said.
The prosecution panel will decide at a later date whether former senator Antonio Trillanes IV will be called to testify.
“On deck pa rin po si Senator Trillanes to give testimony, but that will be decided on that future date,” Ridon said.