The Senate impeachment court granted the House prosecution’s request to subpoena the bank and tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, citing their relevance to allegations of unexplained wealth under the Articles of Impeachment.
Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero said the request met legal requirements and noted that impeachment proceedings are exempt from bank secrecy laws, citing the 2012 impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona as precedent.
The court ruled that records from 2007 to 2021 may be examined solely to establish a factual basis for assessing Duterte’s declared wealth and lawful income, while limiting their use to the unexplained wealth charge.
It also ordered the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Anti-Money Laundering Council to produce relevant records but excluded two companies after finding no sufficient evidence linking them to the Duterte couple.
Meanwhile, former Senate President Franklin Drilon said the proceedings have become overly technical, warning that the lengthy debates may be testing the public’s patience.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 21, 2026
