House prosecutors are planning to subpoena Vice President Sara Duterte's bank records as part of their impeachment case against her.
House of Representatives impeachment prosecutors are preparing to request subpoenas for the bank records of Vice President Sara Duterte once the Senate convenes as an impeachment court on June 2nd. Manila Rep. Joel Chua, a member of the House prosecution team, confirmed that legal avenues are being explored to obtain financial records relevant to specific articles in the impeachment charges against Duterte.
He cited the Bank Secrecy Law’s exception for impeachment cases, affirming the prosecution’s intent to utilize all legal means to secure pertinent financial documents alongside existing evidence. The Articles of Impeachment, transmitted to the Senate on February 5th, remain pending as the upper chamber has yet to formally convene as an impeachment court. Chua pointed to Article XI, Section 3(6) of the 1987 Constitution, which grants the Senate the exclusive power to try and decide impeachment cases. He also underscored Republic Act 1405 (Bank Secrecy Law), which generally protects bank records’ confidentiality but explicitly allows exceptions for impeachment proceedings.Duterte’s bank accounts, as well as those of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, have faced scrutiny in the past. Former senator Antonio Trillanes previously alleged massive undisclosed wealth in these accounts, an issue that resurfaced during the House Quad Committee hearings. The legal precedent for subpoenaing bank records in impeachment trials was set in the 2012 impeachment of then Chief Justice Renato Corona, whose financial records were used to prove allegations of ill-gotten wealth and non-disclosure of assets in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities, leading to his conviction and removal from office. Similarly, the Articles of Impeachment against Sara Duterte include allegations of ill-gotten wealth, making her financial records a crucial point of investigation. House prosecutors are also looking into working with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Commission on Audit (COA) to trace financial transactions that may be linked to alleged irregularities involving public funds.Despite the legislative break, Chua assured the public that the prosecution team is reviewing existing evidence, securing additional documentary records, coordinating with financial agencies for further investigation, and preparing key witnesses for the trial.
IMPEACHMENT Sara Duterte BANK RECORDS Philippines SENATE TRIAL
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