Manila: The submission of Vice President Sara Duterte's tax records to the Senate impeachment court, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s approval, marked another major step in establishing the documentary trail behind the unexplained wealth charge against her, House prosecution adviser and spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers said Friday. Barbers emphasized that this move is pivotal for the ongoing investigation into Duterte's financial dealings.
According to Philippines News Agency, Barbers expressed approval of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) releasing the records, asserting that it allowed the impeachment court to acquire essential documents through appropriate legal channels. "This ensures that the impeachment court can examine all relevant records in its search for the truth," stated Barbers in a news release. He highlighted that these tax records will be analyzed alongside Duterte's Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, bank records, and reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, all of which have been subpoenaed by the court.
Barbers underscored that the case against Duterte is firmly rooted in official government documentation. "May resibo. May dokumento. May paper trail. Hindi ito usapin ng haka-haka o pulitika. Ang ebidensiya ay nagmumula sa mga opisyal na rekord ng gobyerno (There are receipts, documents, a paper trail. This issue is not about speculation or politics. The evidence comes from official government records)," he explained.
In a related development, House prosecutor Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list clarified that President Marcos' authorization was a procedural compliance rather than political interference by Malaca±ang. Ridon dismissed notions of Palace involvement, illustrating that the President's consent was part of a ministerial request necessary for the lawful impeachment process. "I think wala naman. Dahil ministerial request naman po ito sa Pangulo. So ibig sabihin (I think there's no intervention. Because it is just a ministerial request to the President. Meaning), irrespective of whoever it is, whether it is any other impeachable official, I think the President will still give his consent towards the opening of the BIR documents, lalo't higit (especially if) it will further the cause of accountability and further the cause of justice," Ridon elaborated during a press briefing.
The BIR's transmission of Duterte's tax records to the Senate impeachment court also encompassed records of Duterte's husband, lawyer Manases 'Mans' Carpio, and companies associated with the couple. In accordance with Section 71 of the National Internal Revenue Code, income tax returns can be inspected upon an order from the President, following government-prescribed procedures. Before being utilized in the trial, these documents will undergo review by the impeachment court.
Ridon further explained the procedural expectations: "Ang understanding po namin (To our understanding), as soon as it is submitted to the Senate Impeachment Court, the court will receive copies, and both parties, the prosecution and the defense, will receive copies of all of the documents, not just the BIR documents." The prosecution panel reiterated the importance of the President's authorization in bolstering the court's evidence-gathering efforts without imposing interpretations or decisions on document admissibility.
