The most compelling ground for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte is the allegation of unexplained wealth tied to billions of pesos that reportedly passed through bank accounts linked to her and her spouse.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno pointed to alleged discrepancies between the amounts reflected in financial records and those declared in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). He said public officials are expected to maintain transparency and accountability, particularly in declaring their assets and financial holdings.
The lawmaker’s remarks echoed allegations contained in Article II of the impeachment complaint, which accused Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to her lawful income and failing to fully disclose assets in her SALNs.
According to the impeachment article, Duterte’s declared net worth increased from about P7.2 million in 2007 to around P88.5 million in 2024, while her estimated total salary earnings as vice mayor, mayor, and vice president from 2007 to 2024 amounted to roughly P30 million.
Diokno said the central issue is the movement of billions of pesos through accounts allegedly connected to Duterte and her spouse.
“For me, what really needs to be explained is how these huge amounts passed through the Vice President’s accounts,” he said, referring to figures cited in the impeachment complaint.
The complaint cited records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) allegedly showing more than P6.7 billion in covered and suspicious transactions involving Duterte and her spouse.
It stated that the transactions included approximately P4.4 billion in inflows and about P1.5 billion in outflows documented in hundreds of transaction reports.
Diokno said these allegations were among the reasons the House Committee on Justice repeatedly invited Duterte to attend hearings and explain the discrepancies.
He stressed that the committee respected Duterte’s decision not to appear but said the impeachment trial in the Senate would provide an opportunity for the Vice President to answer the allegations directly.
The lawmaker also emphasized that SALNs are sworn declarations and that public officials have a personal obligation to accurately disclose all assets, including cash on hand and bank deposits.
According to the impeachment article, billions of pesos allegedly deposited in accounts linked to Duterte between 2007 and 2024 were not reflected as cash or personal assets in her SALNs, including filings from 2022 to 2024.
The complaint further claimed that the highest cash amount declared in Duterte’s SALNs was only around P6 million, while no cash on hand or cash in bank was reportedly declared from 2019 onward.
Diokno said any defense regarding the alleged discrepancies should be presented during an actual impeachment trial where claims and evidence can be thoroughly examined.