By Dhel Nazario
The Senate Impeachment Court on Monday, July 20 granted the prosecution’s requests to subpoena bank, tax, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records of Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio, and several linked corporations, ruling that the documents were prima facie relevant to allegations of unexplained wealth under Article II of the impeachment complaint.
Presiding officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero explained that the subpoenas were justified because the records sought directly relate to the charges and may establish a financial baseline against which Duterte’s current assets and transactions can be assessed.
The court stressed that subpoenas are permissible so long as they remain subject to legal safeguards.
The approval covered peso-denominated accounts of Duterte, Carpio, their law firm, and 19 corporations whose ties were supported by corporate filings and Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
The court also ordered the AMLC to produce records, rejecting the defense’s claim that confidentiality provisions under the Anti-Money Laundering Act bar disclosure, noting that constitutional subpoena powers in impeachment trials prevail.
Tax records from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) were likewise subpoenaed, with the court finding them sufficiently described and relevant.
Escudero emphasized that earlier records, dating back to 2007, would not prove new impeachable offenses but would serve to establish Duterte’s financial baseline, citing precedent from the 2012 impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
However, the court denied requests involving JTC Group of Companies Philippines, Inc. and Pikimong Pikimong Philippines Corporation, ruling that prosecutors failed to show a prima facie link to Duterte or Carpio.
It also excluded foreign currency deposits, citing the confidentiality guaranteed under the Foreign Currency Deposit Act.
The court underscored that subpoenas were approved because the prosecution demonstrated relevance and sufficient basis, while requests lacking clear connections were rejected.
Sensitive records will be submitted “in camera” to the presiding officer before disclosure.
The BIR, AMLC, and concerned banks were directed to comply by July 30, when both parties’ counsel will inspect and mark any documents produced.
