House impeachment prosecutor and Manila Rep. Joel Chua warned that the sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue box in Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment case could become a defining test for the Senate impeachment court, comparing it to the controversial “second envelope” in the 2001 impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada.
Chua said prosecutors are seeking the opening of the sealed BIR box, which contains income tax returns and related tax records obtained by the House Committee on Justice through a subpoena during its impeachment inquiry.
The prosecution maintains that the documents are material to the allegation of unexplained wealth included in the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.
Chua said a refusal to open the box could trigger consequences similar to the backlash that followed the Senate’s decision not to open the “second envelope” during Estrada’s trial.
“Kung hindi nila papayagan, baka mamaya ganoon din ang maging epekto nito,” Chua said.
The “second envelope” became one of the most explosive moments in Estrada’s impeachment proceedings. Prosecutors had claimed that the envelope contained bank records linked to the alias “Jose Velarde,” which they said could help prove allegations of hidden wealth.
After senator-judges voted not to open the envelope, the prosecution panel walked out, setting off massive street protests that led to the EDSA II uprising and Estrada’s eventual ouster from office.
In Duterte’s case, House prosecutors want the sealed BIR box opened and its contents formally marked as evidence before the Senate impeachment court.
Chua argued that the impeachment court has the authority to order the opening of the box, saying it exercises powers similar to a court that may compel the production of tax records in appropriate cases.
He also questioned why the records should be withheld from the public if they are relevant to the impeachment case.
“Kung wala naman pong tinatago, ano naman po ang dahilan para ito po ay ipagkubli sa taong bayan? Dahil ang issue po kasi dito sa impeachment ay pananagutan, accountability po,” he said.
The issue surfaced during the five-day pre-trial proceedings after prosecutors asked that the sealed BIR box be opened and marked as evidence.
The request remained unresolved after Senate officials said only the impeachment court—not the clerk of court—has the authority to decide whether the box may be opened.
The Senate impeachment trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 6, with opening statements from the prosecution and the defense.
The impeachment court is also expected to rule on several pending procedural motions, including the prosecution’s request to open the sealed BIR box.