House prosecution to present Duterte’s bank records within the week

MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel said it intends to finally present Vice President Sara Duterte’s bank records before the Senate impeachment court within the week.

House trial spokesperson Ace Barbers disclosed the timetable as prosecutors prepare to move deeper into the financial evidence under Article II.

Article II covers Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth, failure to truthfully disclose assets in statements of assets, liabilities and net worth or SALNs from 2022 to 2024, as well as her supposed failure to divest from her private business interests after being elected vice president.

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READ: Impeach court junks bid to have Duterte admit bank records

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“Maganda itong linggong ito dahil baka maipresinte na natin ang bank records ngayong Thursday or Friday,” Barbers said in interview with True FM on Tuesday.

(This week is good because we might be able to present the bank records this Thursday or Friday.)

To note, the Senate impeachment court is set to begin its whole day trials on Thursday, Oct. 1.

The Senate impeachment court earlier authorized subpoenas for peso-denominated bank records involving Duterte, her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio and several entities after finding the requested documents prima facie relevant and material to Article II.

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More than 1,800 bank, insurance and other financial documents have since been subjected to marking and processing ahead of their presentation in court.

It can be recalled that on Monday, the prosecution submitted a request for admission seeking Vice President Sara Duterte to authenticate her bank records herself, which the defense objected to.

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The court, through Presiding Officer and Senator-Judge Francis “Chiz” Escudero, ruled in favor of the defense as granting it would be “tantamount to compelling the respondent to be a witness against herself.”

This, he said, would be a violation of the safeguards provided to a respondent under the Bill of Rights, specifically the right against self-incrimination.

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Meanwhile, the prosecution has offered to enter into stipulations with the defense on subpoenaed bank records in an effort to dispense with as many as 20 bank representatives who would otherwise have to testify to authenticate the documents. /mr