VP Sara impeachment pre-trial ends without opening BIR sealed box

The pre-trial conference for the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte concluded on Thursday without the opening of a sealed box from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that supposedly contains her tax documents.

Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, one of the House prosecutors, said the sealed BIR box was also not marked as evidence for Duterte's impeachment trial.

"Hindi namarkahan at hindi nabuksan ngayong araw. The Clerk of Court cannot rule on the manifestation on the box. It will wait for the comments of the Defense, and we’ll subject the matter to the Senate impeachment court upon reconvening," Ridon told reporters.

(It was not marked and unsealed today. The Clerk of Court cannot rule on the manifestation on the box. It will wait for the comments of the Defense and we’ll subject the matter to the Senate impeachment court upon reconvening.)

The House prosecution panel filed a manifestation on Wednesday seeking the opening of the sealed box. Ridon earlier said the Senate impeachment court has the authority to unseal it.

The box was ordered sealed by the House Justice Committee after the BIR opposed its opening during a hearing on the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

"Naging exhaustive ang pre-trial conference. Lahat ng mga exhibits that we wanted to be placed into the marking had been undertaken, except the BIR box," Ridon said.

(The pre-trial conference has been exhaustive. We were able to include the exhibits we wanted marked, except the BIR box.)

"Ultimately, we leave it to the Senate impeachment court to make that determination," he added.

The pre-trial conference began on June 18 and concluded on June 25 after five sessions.

According to Ridon, the House prosecution panel will continue to push for the BIR box to be marked as evidence during the trial proper and seek its unsealing.

"Gusto rin ng Defense to be able to state their comment on the manifestation. We will wait for it and they will submit it tomorrow, at the earliest, and it will be the Senate impeachment court to decide," the lawmaker said.

Following the conclusion of the pre-trial conference, the Senate impeachment court is expected to issue a pre-trial order outlining the roadmap for Duterte's impeachment trial.

Duterte is facing impeachment charges over allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.

The Senate convened as an impeachment court on May 18. On June 1, Duterte's camp filed its answer to the Articles of Impeachment, urging the court to dismiss the case. —LDF, GMA News