MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Impeachment Court has overruled the defense’s general objections and admitted the majority of the prosecution’s documentary evidence in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, leaving Article II as the sole remaining charge.
In a 22-page order issued on November 5, presiding officer and Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero rejected the defense’s argument that subpoenas used to gather documents constituted an improper “fishing expedition.” The tribunal stressed that the use of subpoenas does not automatically warrant exclusion, provided the documents meet criteria for relevance, competence, and authentication.
“The Court overrules the continuing objection,” the order stated.
The court permitted the entry of financial and personal records dating from 2007 to 2025—including Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs), bank accounts, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reports, and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) documents.
However, the justices placed strict limits on records predating Duterte’s vice presidency, ruling they can only serve as a financial baseline and cannot be used to prosecute separate past offenses or revive withdrawn impeachment articles.
Key pieces of evidence admitted include:
- SALNs from 2007 to 2025, a PSA certification, and marriage documents.
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and audited financial statements.
- AMLC reports, bank records, insurance details, and a forensic financial report by lawyer Alexander Cabrera.
- Land Registration Authority, police firearms office, and procurement system records.
Conversely, the court excluded corporate records linked to JTC Group of Companies and Pikimong Pikimong Philippines Corporation, alongside Commission on Audit findings and notices of disallowance concerning confidential funds from 2022 and 2023, noting they pertained to the withdrawn Article I charge.
The tribunal emphasized that admitting the documents does not equate to a verdict or establish the factual truth of their contents.
“Admission does not, ipso facto, establish the truth or accuracy of any such evidence,” the order noted, adding that senator-judges will independently evaluate the weight and sufficiency of each exhibit during final deliberations.
With the prosecution officially resting its case-in-chief, Vice President Duterte is scheduled to begin presenting her defense evidence on November 9.