Truth is not confidential: Senate urged to open Sara Duterte's tax, bank records

The prosecution panel has urged the Senate impeachment court to allow the truth to come out by allowing the opening of bank and tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, saying this is within the court's authority.

Prosecutor Chel Diokno of Akbayan party-list, in arguing for the prosecution, said issuing a subpoena for these documents is well within the Senate’s constitutional mandate to try and decide impeachment cases.

“Ang hiling ng prosecution ay mailabas ang buong katotohanan so that this court may know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth and make its decisions based on that. That is why we have requested the issuance of subpoena duces tecum for the bank records, tax records, and Anti-Money Laundering Council reports relating to Vice President and her husband,” Diokno said.

(What we are calling for is for the truth to come out.)

“Sa pamamagitan nito, mailalahad ang buong katotohanan tungkol sa mga alegasyon sa Article 2 ng Articles of Impeachment. The Constitution, your Honors, vested this impeachment court with extraordinary powers. Tanging ang hukumang ito lamang ang may kapangyarihan magpasya kung ang mga pinakamataas na pinuno ng ating bansa ay karapat-dapat pa rin manungkulan. Nothing and no one can handcuff this court's power to try and decide this impeachment case. Kahit ang Bank Secrecy law po ay sumusunod at tumatalima sa impeachment court,” Diokno added.

Diokno was referring to the Bank Secrecy Law provision which states that “All deposits are hereby considered as of an absolutely confidential nature except in cases of impeachment.”

“Walang kaduda-duda, may karapatan at kapangyarihan ang impeachment court na busisiin ang mga bank and tax records ni VP Sara,” Diokno said.

(There is no doubt, this court has the power to scrutinize the bank and tax records of the Vice President.)

"Hindi po confidential ang katotohanan," Diokno added.

(The truth is not confidential.) — RSJ, GMA News