The Senate impeachment court approved a request on Monday by the House prosecution panel to access the financial documents of Vice President Sara Duterte, her spouse, Atty. Mans Carpio, and their corporate interests as part of the ongoing trial into charges of unexplained wealth.
Presiding officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero declared that the requested records fulfilled all statutory criteria for subpoenas, describing them as “reasonably described, readily identifiable, and prima facie relevant.”
Escudero further clarified that these materials must strictly be applied to the prosecution’s claims under Article II of the impeachment complaint and cannot be used to introduce new charges against the Vice President.
Rejecting the defense’s argument that the petition was a fishing expedition, the court ruled that the documentation would help clarify whether Duterte’s assets and financial activities during her tenure in government were disproportionate to her legitimate earnings.
Additionally, the tribunal gave prosecutors the green light to inspect financial filings spanning from 2007 to 2021, turning down objections that records from her earlier years in public office should be excluded from the impeachment proceedings.
The subpoena directive also encompasses Carpio’s personal financial history.
According to Escudero, these documents are germane because Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, mandates that public servants report their own assets alongside those of their spouses.
House prosecutors had petitioned for the subpoenas to bolster allegations that Duterte accumulated assets beyond her authorized income.
Conversely, the defense team fought the motion, asserting that it infringed upon due process and represented an improper attempt to search for evidence.