By Hannah Torregoza
The Senate Impeachment Court is set to deliberate this week on the requested subpoenas for Vice President Sara Duterte’s tax records from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), including the controversial “BIR box” containing sensitive documents.
The Court will also hear arguments on related records from the Anti‑Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and other establishments tied to allegations of unexplained wealth and misuse of confidential funds in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Senator‑judge Panfilo “Ping” Lacson underscored the legal implications of unsealing the BIR box, stressing that he will not support any move to open it without written authority from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., as required under Sections 71 and 270 of the National Internal Revenue Code and established Supreme Court jurisprudence.
“Even if we are an Impeachment Court, we cannot be above the law,” Lacson said, clarifying that his stance is rooted in legal compliance rather than political alignment.
The Court is also expected to hear testimony from Zuleika Lopez, Duterte’s Chief of Staff, who was subpoenaed to appear in connection with the fourth Article of Impeachment alleging grave threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta‑Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Meanwhile, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian announced that all impeachment records and filings are now publicly accessible through the Senate website to ensure transparency.
He emphasized that the Filipino people remain the ultimate judges of the proceedings, with the digital repository allowing them to scrutinize evidence directly.
