Manila: The House prosecution panel presented Vice President Sara Z. Duterte's financial records as evidence to highlight alleged inconsistencies in her financial disclosures and her ongoing business interests while serving as vice president.
According to Philippines News Agency, private prosecutor James Bryan Ibrahim Alih introduced ten pieces of evidence through the testimony of lawyer Karen Batu before the Senate impeachment court. These included records tracing the net worth growth of Duterte and her husband, which reportedly reached nearly PHP98.7 million by 2025. Batu, who oversees the Central Records Division of the Office of the Ombudsman, has held the position since December 2025.
Alih's presentation of Duterte's Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) spanned from 2007-2012 and 2016-2025. The prosecution aimed to authenticate these records and verify any discrepancies in Duterte's financial declarations.
Defense counsel Justin Gular acknowledged Batu's role but sought a correction regarding the storage of SALNs of regional and local officials, emphasizing that these are managed by the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman in respective regions.
Alih also pointed out the absence of cash declarations over several years as a key issue. The prosecution plans to compare these filings with earlier SALNs where Duterte had reported cash holdings. The team aims to prove the lack of cash declarations from 2019 to 2025, contrasting with earlier years.
The prosecution also highlighted omissions in foreign-currency disclosures and discrepancies in share ownership declarations. Alih argued that Duterte did not declare ownership of shares in various businesses, which he identified as another subject for Batu's presentation.
Furthermore, Alih claimed that Duterte maintained business interests post-election, identifying companies like Metro City Chow Foods Corporation and GenCorp Industries Inc. The prosecution aims to prove that Duterte continued her business interests, contravening official expectations.
The Senate impeachment court, presided over by Senator-judge Francis Escudero, allowed the 'baseline' examination of Duterte's SALNs. Escudero clarified that the examination is to establish a baseline for her financial status during her vice presidency, not to introduce new charges for actions before her term.
Escudero emphasized that the inquiry into Duterte's SALNs from 2007 to 2022 is solely for establishing a baseline and not for adding to the current impeachment charges. The focus remains on actions committed during her vice presidency from 2022 onward.
