The Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 81 has dismissed a petition filed by Atty. Mans Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, which attempted to block the scrutiny of his tax records amidst ongoing impeachment proceedings.
Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon lauded the decision, asserting that the legal challenge lacked merit and served only as a distraction to the accountability process.
“Tama lang na binasura ang kaso ni Mans Carpio ng QC RTC: walang batayan ang kaso at panggulo lang sa kabuuang proseso sa pagpapanagot sa Pangalawang Pangulo,” Ridon said.
The lawmaker further clarified that the confidentiality of income tax returns (ITRs) is waived when such documents become vital to constitutional investigations.
“Public document ang ITRs (income tax returns) at iba pang tax documents, at hindi subject ng confidentiality at privacy kung nakasalang sa mga constitutional at investigative proceedings katulad ng impeachment,” he added.
In her ruling dated May 6, 2026, Presiding Judge Madonna Echiverri cited Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, affirming that the House of Representatives holds the “exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment.”
The court ruled that it lacked the jurisdiction to interfere with the House Committee on Justice’s (HCOJ) mandate to determine probable cause, nor could it issue an injunction against the panel’s subpoena powers.
The court’s decision effectively authorizes the House to continue enforcing subpoenas for financial records linked to the Vice President and her spouse.
With the legal hurdle removed, Ridon noted that the legislative focus now shifts to the high-stakes impeachment vote scheduled for Monday.