Malacañang has stood by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to approve the release of Vice President Sara Duterte’s tax records, emphasizing that the action adheres strictly to existing laws and standard procedures.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed in a video statement on Friday that the President directed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to honor the subpoena issued by the Senate impeachment court.
“Sa ngayon, ang sinusunod po ng Pangulo ay proseso, batas, para sa katotohanan,” Castro stated.
The Palace response follows a challenge from Duterte’s husband, Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio, who called on the courts to review the disclosure. Carpio contended that the authorization should be scrutinized against statutory and constitutional limits regarding executive power and taxpayer confidentiality.
Addressing these concerns, Castro noted that Carpio and other affected parties are fully within their rights to pursue legal remedies.
“Kung sya po ay may isyu patungkol po dito, karapatan naman po nya na magsampa ng anumang aksyon at tingnan lang po natin kung ano ang magiging resultat nito. Karapatan nya po ‘yan,” she said.
Furthermore, the Palace official stressed that individuals with clean financial backgrounds have nothing to fear from such disclosures, adding that taxpayers earning through legitimate means should feel confident when their records are examined.
“Tandaan natin, kung wala ka naman nililihim at wala naman makikitang anomalya sa mga records na pinabubuksan, hindi kailangang matakot,” Castro remarked.
“Dapat maging proud pa kayo na itong kita ninyo ay galing sa malinis na paraan,” she added.
Following the President’s approval, the BIR transmitted the tax documents to the Senate impeachment court on Thursday. The records reportedly encompass tax files for Duterte, Carpio, and their associated business entities.
The submission comes after the impeachment court granted the prosecution’s petition to subpoena the Vice President’s financial, tax, and banking records as part of the ongoing trial.