Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno on Wednesday raised concerns over what he described as a major discrepancy between Vice President Sara Duterte’s declared assets and billions of pesos in transactions flagged in an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report, calling it a potential “smoking gun” in the impeachment proceedings.
In an interview, Diokno said Duterte must explain the gap between her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) and transaction records presented to the House Committee on Justice, which showed significant financial activity over several years.
“Kailangang ipaliwanag ni Vice President Sara Duterte ‘yung lumabas sa report ng AMLC kumpara sa mga idineklara niya sa kanyang SALN,” Diokno said.
He cited AMLC findings presented during the hearing indicating a net inflow of around P2.87 billion through accounts linked to the Vice President. This contrasts with records from the Office of the Ombudsman showing her declared net worth at P88.51 million in her 2024 SALN.
“Napakalaki ng pagkakaiba… at dapat ipaliwanag niya,” he said.
“Para sa akin, ito’y isang smoking gun, at least insofar as probable cause is concerned,” Diokno added.
The lawmaker said the issue goes to the core of allegations of unexplained wealth, which form part of the impeachment complaints against Duterte.
Diokno also rejected arguments limiting scrutiny to Duterte’s period in office, saying earlier financial transactions remain relevant if they relate to assets that should have been declared in her SALNs.
“Kung titingnan natin kasi ‘yung allegation ng unexplained wealth… kailangan na-declare ‘yun hanggang sa ngayon… may relevance pa rin ‘yung mga nangyari noon,” he said.
He added that past and present financial activities cannot be separated, particularly given the scale of transactions involved.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the Office of the Ombudsman presented consolidated SALN records from 2007 to 2024, showing Duterte’s net worth rising from P7.25 million in 2007 to P88.51 million in 2024.