The House prosecution team welcomed the possibility of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio, taking the witness stand to personally explain their assets and financial transactions questioned during her Senate impeachment trial.
House prosecutor and Manila Rep. Joel Chua said their testimony would give Duterte and Carpio an opportunity to directly address the financial discrepancies raised by the prosecution.
“Mas maganda po ’yun para at least sila mismo ang makapagpaliwanag fahil matagal nang naghihintay ’yung taong-bayan ng paliwanag ng ating bise presidente,” Chua said.
Chua made the statement when asked about the possibility that Duterte or Carpio could be among the defense witnesses when the impeachment trial resumes on Nov. 9.
“Dahil at the end of the day, sila lang naman ang makakapagpaliwanag ng lahat ng ito,” Chua added.
The House prosecution earlier presented bank and insurance records, income tax returns, corporate documents, and Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth to support Article II, the sole remaining impeachment charge involving alleged unexplained wealth, undeclared assets, and prohibited business interests.
Prosecution forensic expert Alexander Cabrera testified that his examination of available financial records identified approximately P817.87 million in allegedly unexplained wealth involving Duterte and Carpio from 2022 to 2025.
During subsequent questioning, Cabrera said the amount could reach approximately P1.5 billion under less conservative assumptions.
The prosecution also raised questions about bank balances, insurance investments, and corporate interests that it alleged were not fully reflected in Duterte’s sworn asset declarations.
The defense has disputed the allegations and challenged Cabrera’s findings, including his interpretation of financial transactions and corporate income.
Chua said hearing directly from Duterte or Carpio could help clarify the issues raised during the prosecution’s presentation.
The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to resume proceedings on Nov. 9, when the defense is expected to begin presenting evidence.
It remains unclear whether Duterte or Carpio will testify, as neither is required to take the witness stand solely because the prosecution has questioned their financial records.