Manila: The House prosecution panel is set to begin presenting evidence next week concerning Vice President Sara Duterte's alleged unexplained wealth. The lineup includes more than 1,800 financial documents and up to 25 potential witnesses.
According to Philippines News Agency, House prosecutor and Manila Rep. Joel Chua announced the prosecution's shift to Article II after concluding its presentation on Duterte's alleged misuse of confidential funds under Article I. Article II accuses Duterte of betrayal of public trust for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to her lawful income and failing to fully and truthfully disclose her and her spouse's assets and liabilities in their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).
The prosecution cited Duterte's SALNs from 2019 to 2024, including her 2024 SALN, which declares a net worth of approximately PHP88.5 million with zero cash on hand or in banks. They have also referenced an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report detailing 663 transactions involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases "Mans" Carpio, with a total value of about PHP6.77 billion. Of this, approximately PHP3.77 billion was linked to Duterte and PHP2.99 billion to Carpio.
The prosecution has secured subpoenaed bank and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) records related to Duterte, Carpio, and companies linked to them. These records will be examined against the couple's SALNs and AMLC information. Chua mentioned that the prosecution is preparing over 1,800 bank, tax, and other financial documents. They have also served Duterte's defense with 104 requests for admission regarding the authenticity of subpoenaed bank records and ownership of accounts identified in them.
House prosecutors, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon and Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno, who are handling the unexplained wealth allegations, are considering around 10 witnesses, alongside up to 15 bank representatives. The number could decrease if the defense agrees to stipulations regarding bank records or if prosecutors determine that additional testimony would merely be corroborative.
Among the expected witnesses is former senator Antonio Trillanes IV. Other potential witnesses include Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla or a representative, and officials or authorized representatives from the AMLC, BIR, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega indicated that the order of witnesses has not been finalized but confirmed Trillanes's participation.
Ortega, who endorsed one of the impeachment complaints that formed the basis for the Articles of Impeachment on trial, described the upcoming presentation as potentially one of the prosecution's strongest parts. He encouraged the public to follow the impeachment trial closely.
Chua emphasized the importance of Trillanes as a witness, highlighting that some financial information the former senator previously presented during House Committee on Justice proceedings had been cross-checked with AMLC records. The prosecution remains open to the possibility of calling Duterte herself as a witness, although Chua stated that the case would remain strong either way.
In a related development, the House prosecution welcomed the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office decision to dismiss Carpio's complaint, which sought to prevent the disclosure of the couple's bank transaction records. Carpio had filed complaints against several House members and government officials, alleging violations of the Bank Secrecy Law, Data Privacy Act, and Anti-Money Laundering Act due to the disclosure of financial information during House proceedings on Duterte's impeachment complaints. Chua noted that the dismissal was timely as the prosecution prepares to present evidence on the unexplained wealth allegations.
