QC prosecutors recommend dismissal of Mans Carpio's complaint over bank record disclosure

The Office of the City Prosecutor in Quezon City has recommended the dismissal of a complaint filed by Atty. Manases Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, against several House members and government officials over the disclosure of his and the Vice President's bank transaction records. In a 23-page resolution, the QC Prosecutor's Office said that the acts of the respondents were done in relation to their office, and such acts “are not inherently immoral.” “The issuance of a subpoena for the production of AMLC reports, the manifestations made during the impeachment proceedings against the Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines, and the compliance with the subpoena --- these acts were done by the respondents, public officers with Salary Grade 28 and higher, in relation to their office,” the resolution read. “By no stretch of the imagination could we rule that these acts of the respondents were done in their private capacity,” it added. Lawmakers who are respondents to the complaint include House Justice panel chair Gerville Luistro, House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima, House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio, Akbayan Party-List Representatives Percival Cendaña and Chel Diokno, Kabataan Party-list Representative Renee Co, Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua, and Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr., Insurance Commissioner Reynaldo Regalado, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairperson Francis Edralin, Lim, and Anti–Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura were also tagged as respondents. This was for alleged violation of the Bank Secrecy Law, the Data Privacy Act, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), as amended. Carpio filed the complaint at the QC Prosecutor’s Office in April, and a supplemental complaint was again filed in July. Carpio earlier said legal issues surrounding the authorization to release his and his wife’s income tax records should be resolved through the proper judicial process, even as they continue to comply with the Senate impeachment court’s orders. The Vice President is currently facing impeachment charges over allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes. —AOL, GMA News