Sara Duterte's bank, tax records furnished to impeachment trial prosecutors

The prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has been furnished with copies of her bank and tax records, those of her husband, Atty. Mans Carpio, and their businesses.

This was announced by Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, the prosecutor assigned to handle the Article of Impeachment on alleged unexplained wealth. He said his team is already preparing for the presentation of evidence for the said article.

"Noon poong hapon ay binigyan na po ng kopya ang prosecution panel ng lahat ng bank information na hiningi mula po sa ating pangalawang pangulo, sa kanya pong asawa, at sa kanila poong mga kumpanya," Ridon said in a news conference.

"Binigyan na rin po ng kopya ng Senate impeachment court ang prosecution panel ng lahat po ng tax documents na nga ng pangalawang pangulo ng kanyang asawa, at ng kanila poong mga kumpanya," he added.

"So sa mga susunod pong mga araw, pag-aaralan at bubusisiin po namin yung lahat po ng mga dokumento pong ito. At ito po yung nagko-constitute ng last important pillar noon pong mga ebidensiya na gagamitin para sa unexplained wealth article," Ridon said.

(This afternoon, the prosecution panel was given a copy of all the bank information that was requested from our vice president, his wife, and their companies. The Senate impeachment court also gave the prosecution panel copies of all the tax documents for the vice president, his wife, and their companies. So in the coming days, we will study and scrutinize all these documents. And this is what constitutes the last important pillar of evidence that will be used for the unexplained wealth article.)

Ridon said the prosecution panel's unexplained wealth team is preparing to present evidence in mid- to late September.

"So we will study all the bank accounts and tax documents of Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband, and her companies to see if this evidence will constitute proof of the allegations in the unexplained wealth article, which would constitute a betrayal of public trust," Ridon said.

The Senate impeachment court on July 30 formally received Duterte and Carpio's financial and tax records in relation to her ongoing impeachment trial.

It also received around the same time the documentary evidence from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

The court, the week before, started issuing subpoenas for Duterte’s tax and bank records in relation to the impeachment trial. Among those issued with subpoenas were the BIR, the AMLC, and several banks.

Impeachment trial clerk of court Renato Bantug at that time said, “The Senate Impeachment Court maintains the highest level of physical and procedural security over these records. Access is strictly controlled, and the chain of custody is heavily documented."

"The Clerk of Court will release the documents to the parties only after the meticulous inventory process is complete, and in the case of the AMLC, after the Presiding Officer completes his ‘in camera’ review," Bantug said then.

"The Impeachment Court will not rush the chain of custody. Security and accuracy take precedence over speed,” he added. –NB, GMA News