Chel Diokno refutes Pia Cayetano's shade on VP Sara's bank records

Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno on Saturday responded to the video posted by Senator Pia Cayetano about his remarks during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte involving her financial records.

"With all due respect to the Senator-Judge at para hindi maligaw ang publiko, ito po ang konteksto at kumpleto na sinabi ko: '(Ang fishing expedition) ay maaaring sabihin nating nangyari kung only if the party requesting the evidence or documents ay nagbabakasakali lang, baka may makuha tayo dito,'" the congressman said in a statement.

(With all due respect to the Senator-Judge and so the public won't be misled, here is the context and the complete statement I made: '(A fishing expedition) can be said to have happened if and only if the party requesting the evidence or documents is just taking a shot in the dark, hoping maybe we'll find something here.)

"Linawin ko po: Hindi tayo nagbabakasakali lang. May probable cause o sapat na dahilan na nakita sa mga record ng Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) tungkol sa bilyun-bilyong dumaan sa accounts ng VP at kanyang asawa," Diokno added.

(Let me clarify: We are not just taking a shot in the dark. There is probable cause or sufficient reason found in the records of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) regarding the billions that passed through the accounts of the Vice President and her husband.)

The video posted by Cayetano online on Friday has the caption "Nagbabakasakali lang? Walang mga ebidensya pero nag-aakusa na!" (Just taking a shot? No evidence yet but already accusing!)

In the video, Diokno and Cayetano's brother and fellow senator, Alan Peter, were having an exchange regarding subpoenaing Duterte's financial records.

"Nagbabakasakali lang baka may makuha tayo dito," said Diokno.

(Just taking a shot in the dark, maybe we'll get something here.)

Alan Peter maintained that prosecutors must build a solid evidence base first before requesting Duterte's financial and tax records.

"So nagbabakasakali din?" the senator-judge asked. "You still don't know what you'll see?"

At the end of the almost one-minute clip, a laughing track can be heard.

In his statement, Diokno pointed out that they are requesting for Duterte's bank records to check if they match with the reports of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

"Hiningi natin ang bank records para makita kung tugma ito sa sinasabi ng AMLC reports. Tandaan: Ang bank records ay maaari lang mailabas kapag may utos o subpoena mula sa korte. Ibig sabihin, kung nabuksan ng Kamara ang mismong bank records bago ang trial, paglabag yan sa karapatan at due process ni VP Sara Duterte," the Akbayan Party-list representative said.

(We requested the bank records to see if they match what the AMLC reports are saying. Remember: Bank records can only be released if there is an order or subpoena from the court. This means that if the House had opened the actual bank records before the trial, that would have been a violation of the rights and due process of VP Sara Duterte.)

"Ngayong may subpoena na para sa bank records ng Bise Presidente, magagamit ito ng magkabilang panig para patunayan ang kanilang kaso," he added.

(Now that there is a subpoena for the Vice President's bank records, both sides can use this to prove their respective case.)

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte maintained its opposition to the House prosecution panel’s request for the Senate impeachment court to issue a subpoena on the latter’s bank and tax documents in relation to her ongoing impeachment trial.

During the oral argument on the prosecutors’ request, defense lawyer Michael Poa reiterated that granting the request would amount to a “fishing expedition,” as the complaints accusing Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth have no attachments supporting the claims. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA News