Private prosecutor and seasoned lawyer Atty. Lorna Kapunan declared that the House prosecution team is fully prepared to justify its efforts to secure Vice President Sara Duterte’s financial and tax records before the Supreme Court, should the matter be elevated there.
When questioned about the potential for a legal challenge aimed at blocking the disclosure of Duterte’s banking information and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) documents, Kapunan remained assured of their legal standing.
“We’re very confident that we are on the right side of history,” Kapunan said.
The legal defense for the Vice President has already petitioned the Senate impeachment court to reject the prosecution’s motions for subpoenas targeting Duterte’s bank accounts, tax filings, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reports.
Her lawyers argue that the demands constitute an overly broad “fishing expedition” that threatens her right to privacy and due process.
While Kapunan acknowledged that the defense has every right to contest an adverse decision before the high tribunal, she reiterated the prosecution’s resolve.
“Everybody has a right to question (the possible ruling). It is a part of due process,” she said.
Though she noted that the final resolution of a Supreme Court challenge cannot be guaranteed, she emphasized the strength of the prosecution’s stance.
“We cannot predict how the Supreme Court decides,” said Kapunan. “But on the part of the prosecution and the state, the prosecutors representing the… the state, we’re very confident.”
House prosecutors maintain that obtaining the financial data is critical to proving Article II of the impeachment complaint, which charges the Vice President with accumulating undeclared and unexplained wealth.
They also countered that releasing these documents would not violate Duterte’s due process, as her defense team retains the right to review, challenge, and counter any evidence brought before the court.
The Senate impeachment court has delayed its decision on the subpoena requests until July 20 to allow senator-judges more time to evaluate the arguments from both sides.
To reinforce their motion, the prosecution cited the 2012 impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, noting that the Senate had previously approved subpoenas for Corona’s bank accounts and permitted BIR records and testimonies regarding his taxes to be admitted into evidence.