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Renalyn Ramirez - Philstar.com
July 20, 2026 | 12:30pm
The sealed box purportedly containing the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte was returned to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, following an order by the Senate Impeachment Court during the July 6 proceedings.
Senate SMU / Joseph B. Vidal
MANILA, Philippines — House prosecutors defended their bid to subpoena Vice President Sara Duterte's bank and tax records, saying Anti-Money Laundering Council evidence already gave them a basis to seek the documents and that the request was not a "fishing expedition."
"This is not in any way a fishing expedition. In our case, we have already a basis for requesting for these records," House prosecutor and Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno said in an interview with ANC's "Headstart" on Monday, July 20.
The prosecution has asked the Senate impeachment court to issue subpoenas for the bank, Bureau of Internal Revenue and AMLC records of Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases "Mans" Carpio.
Senator-judges are set to decide on the request Monday as the impeachment trial resumes in the afternoon.
Defense pushback
Defense spokesperson Michael Poa earlier argued that the request for Duterte and Carpio's tax and bank records was "oppressive" to the vice president.
Poa said a subpoena, if issued, would no longer be "an instrument of justice" but a "weapon of fishing expedition."
Diokno, however, said evidence gathered from the AMLC when the impeachment case was still before the House of Representatives was enough to support the subpoena request.
"Doon lumalabas nga na bilyon-bilyones ang perang dumadaan sa account ni VP Sara at ng kanyang asawa. Kaya natin gustong makita ang mga bank records, pati ang BIR records at AMLC records para mabuo natin at makita yung buong katotohanan," Diokno said. ("It showed that billions of pesos were passing through the accounts of VP Sara and her husband. That is why we want to see the bank records, as well as the BIR and AMLC records, so we can complete the picture and see the whole truth.")
House prosecutors said the documents are relevant to the allegations involving misuse of confidential funds and unexplained wealth.
BIR box
Prosecutors had earlier sought to present a green BIR box believed to contain the tax records of Duterte and Carpio as evidence in the impeachment trial.
On the first day of the trial, however, Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero ordered the box returned to the BIR, saying there was no lawful order yet for the Senate to take custody of it.
The impeachment trial enters its third week Monday, with proceedings on Duterte's alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family expected to end before the trial shifts to the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Duterte faces four articles of impeachment involving allegations of misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, graft and corruption, bribery and grave threats under betrayal of public trust.
A conviction on any one article would be enough to remove Duterte from office if supported by at least two-thirds of all members of the Senate impeachment court.
