Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, raised constitutional and legal concerns on Friday following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to authorize the release of their joint tax records to the Senate impeachment court.
Carpio urged a close examination of the presidential authorization under existing statutory and constitutional protections regarding taxpayer confidentiality and executive privilege.
However, he emphasized that handing over the documents does not prove any wrongdoing or automatically make them valid evidence against the Vice President.
“The submission of documents to the Senate impeachment court is a procedural step,” Carpio said in a statement.
“The legal significance, admissibility, and evidentiary value of those documents are matters for the court to determine in accordance with the Constitution, applicable law, and the rules of the Senate impeachment court,” he added.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) turned over the tax documents on Thursday after the President granted approval—an exception allowed under the Tax Code. The subpoena for the pair’s tax, bank, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records stems from Article 2 of the impeachment complaint, which alleges that Vice President Duterte accumulated unexplained wealth.
The impeachment court previously clarified that issuing a subpoena was a preliminary measure that did not immediately greenlight the public disclosure of confidential BIR files.
Carpio noted that his legal defense team found no evidence of any tax assessment or outstanding tax deficiency issued by the BIR against him or his wife.
He also questioned whether all requisite administrative recommendations and procedural steps were fully satisfied before President Marcos issued the authorization.
Reiterating that document submission is distinct from actual proof, Carpio urged the public to separate raw allegations from factual findings. He stated that his legal team will continue pursuing available remedies while respecting the independence of the involved institutions.