Veteran litigator Lorna Kapunan has expressed her belief that the House Committee on Justice has successfully gathered the necessary evidence to establish probable cause in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
During a radio interview on Friday, April 24, Kapunan noted that the panel has reached the threshold required to move the case forward.
“Na-meet na ng House Committee on Justice ‘yung target nila na to prove probable cause, that a crime was committed, that a violation of law was committed, and that the Vice President is probably guilty thereof. Hindi naman guilt beyond reasonable doubt,” Kapunan explained.
The legal expert urged the public to focus on the “forensic truth” provided by state institutions rather than being misled by defensive rhetoric or social media campaigns.
She emphasized that the case rests on official documentation from the Ombudsman, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) regarding the assets of the Vice President and her husband, Atty. Mans Carpio.
“So, these are records, they don’t lie. Kung litigation ang pinag-uusapan natin, nandyan na ang hard evidence, documentary from official sources. This is not opinion, this is not hearsay. These are documents,” she added, stressing that “no spin can change what is already on official record.”
The proceedings have highlighted a dramatic spike in the Vice President’s net worth, which reportedly jumped from ₱7.2 million in 2007 to ₱88.4 million by 2024.
Lawmakers specifically flagged the absence of declared cash on hand or bank deposits in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) between 2019 and 2024, despite the rising valuation.
Further complicating the Defense’s position is an AMLC report identifying over 600 transactions, totaling approximately ₱6.8 billion, flagged as “covered” or “suspicious” between 2006 and 2025.
The council confirmed that 19 of these entries matched records previously leaked by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, including a ₱22 million transaction allegedly involving businessman Samuel “Sammy” Uy.
Kapunan concluded by noting that while the Vice President was provided ample opportunity to defend herself, her team opted for a “non-answer” and avoided the hearings.
She maintained that the House holds the constitutional mandate to pursue these proceedings regardless of jurisdictional challenges raised by the Defense.