Prosecution prepares evidence, witnesses for VP Duterte wealth case

MANILA – The House prosecution panel is set to begin presenting evidence next week on Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth, with more than 1,800 financial documents and up to 25 potential witnesses in its current lineup.

House prosecutor and Manila Rep. Joel Chua on Wednesday said the prosecution is shifting to Article II after completing its presentation on Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds under Article I.

"By next week sisimulan na po natin ang (we will begin the) presentation ng (of) unexplained wealth," Chua said during a press briefing.

Article II accuses Duterte of betrayal of public trust for allegedly accumulating wealth disproportionate to her lawful income and failing to fully and truthfully disclose her and her spouse’s assets and liabilities in their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).

The prosecution cited Duterte’s SALNs from 2019 to 2024, including her 2024 SALN declaring a net worth of about PHP88.5 million and zero cash on hand or in banks.

It has also cited an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report covering 663 transactions involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases "Mans" Carpio, with an aggregate value of about PHP6.77 billion. Of this amount, about PHP3.77 billion was linked to Duterte and PHP2.99 billion to Carpio.

The prosecution has obtained subpoenaed bank and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) records involving Duterte, Carpio and companies linked to them, which prosecutors intend to examine against the couple’s SALNs and the AMLC information.

Chua said the prosecution is preparing more than 1,800 bank, tax and other financial documents and has served Duterte’s defense with 104 requests for admission involving, among others, the authenticity of subpoenaed bank records and ownership of accounts identified in them.

House prosecutors Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon and Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno, who are handling the unexplained wealth allegations, are eyeing around 10 witnesses, in addition to as many as 15 bank representatives.

The number could be reduced if the defense agrees to stipulations involving bank records or if prosecutors determine that additional testimony would merely be corroborative.

Trillanes

Among those expected to testify is former senator Antonio Trillanes IV. Other potential witnesses include Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla or his representative, and officials or authorized representatives from the AMLC, BIR and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

"Ayoko namang pangunahan iyong team kung sino or ano iyong order of witnesses, pero (I don’t want to preempt the team on who or in what order the witnesses would be presented by the team, but) Trillanes is coming," Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said in the same briefing.

Ortega, who endorsed one of the impeachment complaints that became the basis for the Articles of Impeachment now on trial, described the upcoming presentation as potentially one of the strongest parts of the prosecution’s case.

"So again, this will be explosive, this will be exciting, at patuloy po nating panoorin ang (and let us continue to watch the) impeachment trial," he said.

Chua said Trillanes would be an important witness, noting that some financial information the former senator previously presented during House Committee on Justice proceedings had been cross-checked against AMLC records.

The prosecution is also keeping open the possibility of calling Duterte herself as a witness, although Chua said its case would remain strong whether or not she appears.

Welcome decision

Meanwhile, the House prosecution welcomed the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office decision to dismiss Carpio’s complaint seeking to prevent the disclosure of the couple’s bank transaction records.

Carpio had filed complaints against several House members and government officials over alleged violations of the Bank Secrecy Law, Data Privacy Act and Anti-Money Laundering Act stemming from the disclosure of financial information during House proceedings on Duterte’s impeachment complaints.

Chua said the dismissal was timely as the prosecution prepares to present evidence on the unexplained wealth allegations. (PNA)