By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The House prosecution panel on Friday maintained that its impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte over alleged unexplained wealth remains strong even without the contents of a sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) document box, insisting that other evidence is sufficient to support the charge.
Manila Rep. Joel Chua, a member of the prosecution team, said the allegations under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment focus on unexplained wealth rather than tax violations, making the sealed BIR records nonessential to the prosecution’s case.
“The case can stand because what we are talking about here is unexplained wealth,” Chua said during an online interview with House reporters.
He noted that the tax documents could even work in favor of the defense if they demonstrate that the increase in Duterte’s declared net worth was consistent with the lawful income reported by her and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
“The BIR documents could justify how their wealth increased over time. At this point, none of us knows what is inside the sealed box,” Chua added.
Lawyer Jay Tolosa, the newest member and legal spokesperson of the prosecution panel, echoed Chua’s position, saying the impeachment complaint does not rely solely on the BIR documents.
According to Tolosa, the prosecution intends to present reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), bank records, and other financial documents to support allegations of unexplained wealth.
He stressed, however, that opening the BIR box remains important because the income tax returns could be compared with the couple’s financial records to determine whether their declared income matched their accumulated assets.
“The prosecution’s case is not hinged exclusively on the contents of the BIR box,” Tolosa said. “But it is still crucial because it provides the declared income, which is necessary in determining whether the wealth is consistent with lawful earnings.”
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, another spokesperson for the prosecution panel, argued that the issue extends beyond courtroom evidence, saying the public deserves to know the complete financial picture of the Vice President.
He said transparency is part of the Constitution’s accountability mechanism and that all relevant records should be examined without leaving any unanswered questions.
The BIR document box became a major issue during the Senate impeachment pretrial after prosecutors sought to unseal, inventory, and mark its contents as evidence.
The defense opposed the request, prompting Senate Secretary and Impeachment Court Clerk Renato Bantug to defer action until the defense formally responds to the prosecution’s motion.
The records were originally obtained by the House Committee on Justice during its impeachment inquiry but remained sealed after lawmakers decided not to open them over possible jurisdictional concerns. The unopened box was later transmitted to the Senate together with the Articles of Impeachment.
AMLC Records Previously Raised
During House committee hearings in April, AMLC Executive Director Matthew David Buenaventura confirmed that the agency had identified covered and suspicious financial transactions involving Duterte and Carpio.
Former senator and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima also asked the AMLC to verify 19 transactions cited in an affidavit submitted by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV. Buenaventura confirmed that all 19 transactions matched records held by the AMLC.
The Senate impeachment court has yet to decide whether the sealed BIR documents will be opened and admitted as part of the evidence in the proceedings.
ia/xf
