The Senate impeachment court faces a critical procedural determination over whether official government data and financial disclosures can be used in evaluating the remaining charge against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
The defense team for Vice President Sara Z. Duterte filed formal objections seeking to block all documentary evidence submitted by the House impeachment prosecution, including Duterte’s own asset declarations and financial records obtained from banks and state agencies.
House prosecutor Terry L. Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list disclosed during an ambush interview that the defense’s formal objections apply to the entirety of the documentary evidence supporting Article II, which alleges unexplained wealth and incomplete asset disclosures.
“Ang ang laman po ng formal offer evidence objection ng defense ay pag object doon po sa lahat po ng piraso ng ebidensya na isinumite ng prosecution para sa konsiderasyon po ng Senate impeachment court,” Ridon disclosed.
Ridon explained that the challenge targeted Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), banking records, insurance files, and data secured from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
“So ibig sabihin lahat po ng mga dokumento, lahat po ng SALN, lahat po ng bank records, lahat po ng insurance documents, BIR records, AMLC documents, lahat po ng piraso ng ebidensya ay itinatanggi, ino-object-kan ng depensa,” Ridon explained.
The prosecution submitted its formal offer of evidence on October 21 after concluding its witness testimony and financial document presentation concerning Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
Ridon questioned the strategy, emphasizing that defense counsel actively participated in proceedings and cross-examined the prosecution witnesses who authenticated the financial records.
“Kasi tingin ko naman lahat po ng mga ebidensya nakita po natin had been subjected to cross examination. They had participated in it,” Ridon pointed out.
Prosecution evidence includes testimonies from banking executives, state regulators, and forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera, whose review identified approximately P817.87 million in allegedly unexplained wealth, with broader estimates reaching up to P1.5 billion under alternative calculation methods.
“So medyo nakakatawa na meron ho silang blanket objection sa lahat po ng pirasong ebidensya na isinumite po ng prosekusyon,” Ridon also observed.
The lawmaker expressed confidence that the Senate impeachment court will evaluate individual exhibits rather than sustain a total rejection of the prosecution’s documentary submission.
“Well tingin ko, una sa lahat, tingin ko hindi naman ho kakatigan noon pong Senate Impeachment Court yun pong kanilang blanket objection dito dahil ibig sabihin wala na hong magiging kahit anong ebidensya ang magagamit para ho sa paglilitis po natin and I don’t think that is something that the Senate impeachment court will allow,” Ridon maintained.
The senator-judges hold final authority to determine which challenged exhibits will be admitted for consideration.
“The defense has objected. We will leave it to the Senate impeachment court to make a determination on all of the pieces of evidence, and aantayin po namin sila sa pagbabalik po ng paglilitis ngayon pong ika 9 ng Nobyembre,” Ridon added.
House prosecutors are scheduled to cross-examine defense witnesses when trial proceedings resume on November 9.