MANILA, Philippines — Financial forensic expert Alexander “Alex” Cabrera stated on Monday that he harbored no legal reservations about accepting documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) as part of his investigation into Vice President Sara Duterte’s contested wealth, emphasizing that the records had already been made public during House of Representatives impeachment deliberations.
Cabrera offered the remarks on the 38th day of the impeachment trial, addressing queries from defense counsel Atty. Kristine Ferrer concerning the strict confidentiality protocols governing AMLC files and financial accounts utilized in his review.
Ferrer pressed the legal expert on whether acquiring the confidential AMLC paperwork prior to formal authorization from the impeachment tribunal constituted a breach of privacy laws.
Cabrera defended his position by noting that the paperwork had previously undergone public scrutiny and debate within congressional panels.
“Dahil na-take up na po sa House at pinagtalunan na po sa House kaya po ang nasa isip ko ay okay lang po yon na tanggapin ko,” the witness said.
The defense lawyer further questioned if Cabrera possessed similar reservations regarding copies of bank statements handed over without express clearance from the court, referencing the legal protections of the Bank Secrecy Law.
While Section 2 of Republic Act No. 1405 shields bank accounts from unauthorized scrutiny, it explicitly outlines exemptions such as formal impeachment trials.
House prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno intervened to clarify that Cabrera previously stated he had not yet been in possession of the actual bank statements when initial documents were forwarded to him in early June.
Ferrer pushed back, asserting that her line of questioning targeted the principle of receiving the records regardless of the specific timeframe.
Cabrera countered by pointing to Section 8 of Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which governs asset disclosures deemed clearly disproportionate to a government official’s legitimate earnings.
He explained that statutory guidelines mandate the disclosure of financial deposits during such investigations.
“Kaya po ako hindi concerned sa 3019 po na siya pong Section 8 na nagsasabing yung acquisition po ng property na manifestly disproportionate sa income… nasa batas po yung bank deposits, kailangan i-provide.”
Pressed directly on whether he felt unconcerned about obtaining the bank records without prior clearance from the impeachment tribunal, Cabrera answered in the affirmative.