Documents vs VP in impeachment trial came from her camp, says prosec

MANILA, Philippines — Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro has reminded the public that the evidence gathered and presented by the prosecution against Vice President Sara Duterte — particularly the bank and tax records under Article II — are documents that came from her camp.

Luistro said this on Friday after a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that only 30 percent of the respondents were happy with the prosecution, while 35 percent were displeased — for a net satisfaction rating of -5. 

The same poll stated that only 25 percent were convinced that the allegations of unexplained wealth were true, while 38 percent were not.

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“Well, we wish to believe otherwise sapagkat kamukha ng paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, numbers do not lie, the evidence in Article II, unexplained wealth, are based on figures which were submitted by no less than the respondent vice president,” Luistro told reporters covering the House of Representatives.

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“‘Wag po nating kakalimutan ‘yon, the pieces of evidence presented in Article II and became the subject matter of the forensic study of our expert witness, Atty. Alex Cabrera, came from the respondent herself,” she added.

READ: More Filipinos favor VP’s defense team in Senate trial – survey

By saying documents came from Duterte, Luistro was referring to the vice president’s official disclosures like her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), bank and tax records from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and documents of her business interests under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“Take note, we presented audited financial statements of the respondent’s companies, as presented by the [SEC].  We also presented the declaration of income by the respondent and their companies, this is through the income tax returns identified and presented by the Bureau of Internal Revenue,” Luistro said.

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“Nilatag din po natin ‘yong AMLC report, which was based on the transaction report, suspicious and covered, by the respondent’s depositary banks, mga bangko mismo ng respondent vice president and the family,” she added.

Furthermore, Luistro recalled that documents presented by the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) before the Senate impeachment court showed that GenCorp Industries Inc. had entered into contracts with the Davao City government.

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Duterte listed GenCorp in her SALN as one of her business interests, yet it still entered into contracts while her brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, was in office.

READ: Baste Duterte: If I’d known Sara in GenCorp, I wouldn’t have dealt with it

“And we likewise presented the PhilGEPS which pertains naman do’n sa mga kontrata na […] inaward ng City of Davao sa GenCorp Industries Incorporated, this was, the contracts were never disputed by Mayor Sebastian Duterte.  At ito namang GenCorp, let us take note as well ay kasama sa sariling declaration ng respondent vice president in her SALN, which is under oath,” Luistro explained.

(And we likewise presented the PhilGEPS which pertains to the contracts […] that were awarded by the City of Davao to GenCorp Industries Incorporated, this was, the contracts were never disputed by Mayor Sebastian Duterte.  And this GenCorp, let us take note as well, is part of the respondent vice president’s own declaration in her SALN, which is under oath.)

“In conclusion, lahat po ng ating ginamit na ebidesnya in Article II, unexplained wealth, ay galing sa sariling submission ng respondent vice president.  And that is why regardless of the survey, we wish to express our confidence in the strength of the evidence presented, which was clearly explained by our expert witness, in the person of Atty. Alex Cabrera,” she noted.

(In conclusion, all the evidence used in Article II, unexplained wealth, came from the own submissions of the respondent vice president.  And that is why regardless of the survey, we wish to express our confidence in the strength of the evidence presented, which was clearly explained by our expert witness, in the person of Atty. Alex Cabrera.)

Article II deals with allegations that Duterte has unexplained wealth, and that she did not declare it in her SALN. 

If Duterte is convicted based on Article II, or the allegation that she has unexplained wealth and that these were not declared in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, she will be removed from office.

Aside from removal from public office, the charges against Duterte carry another penalty if she is convicted — perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

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The trial is slated to resume by November 9, during which the defense panel would have its chance to present their evidence and witnesses to counter the allegations under Article II. /gsg