Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial: Court Grants Access to Bank, Tax Records

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate impeachment court on Day 7 of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte granted prosecutors access to bank, tax, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records of the vice president, her husband Manases Carpio, and their businesses. The court, however, excluded foreign-currency deposits and two firms from being subpoenaed as they have no clear links to her. READ: LIVE UPDATES: Impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte | July 20, 2026 The ruling is tied to Article II of the Articles of Impeachment against the vice president alleging unexplained wealth. Presiding Officer Francis Escudero anchored the ruling on precedent from the 2012 impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona, and the court found the records prima facie relevant and not a fishing expedition, covering transactions from 2007 to 2021. The court also rejected the defense’s argument that AMLC records are protected from compulsory processes, saying the Supreme Court has already allowed the Sandiganbayan and Congress to subpoena such reports. The subpoena does not cover foreign-currency deposits of Duterte, Carpio, and their associated entities, which Escudero said must remain confidential unless the depositors provide written consent. The court also denied the request covering two companies, JTC Group of Companies and Pikimong Pikimong Philippines Corporation, citing insufficient evidence connecting them to the respondent. Escudero separately noted that the issuance of the BIR subpoena is a preliminary procedural step that does not by itself authorize the disclosure, inspection, or admission of tax records into evidence. House prosecutor Chel Diokno called the ruling a victory for the Filipino people and described it as a well-reasoned decision, saying the prosecution’s goal is simply to establish the whole truth about Duterte’s finances. Defense spokesperson Michael Poa, meanwhile, said the team had anticipated the ruling and did not consider it a major setback. Other developments: Editor’s note: This update was generated with the aid of artificial intelligence based on Inquirer.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Cebu Daily News articles and reviewed by a human editor./ dp Information source: Inquirer NewsInfo