Sara in The Hague, gets updates on impeach trial

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte is in The Hague, Netherlands and has been updated on the Senate impeachment court’s ruling to subpoena her and her husband Manases Carpio’s bank and tax records.

“(She) had no reaction. It was just a matter of fact. I just reported what happened. She said ‘OK, you know what to do,’ meaning she knew that we are ready even if those documents will come out because we do not want to hide anything because that’s what we always say,” defense spokesman Michael Poa said yesterday.

Duterte’s trip includes a stop in Qatar, a forum and a Filipino community event in the United Kingdom and in the Netherlands, the Office of the Vice President said.

“No government funds will be used by the Vice President for the entire duration of the trip,” the OVP said, noting that the itinerary includes official foreign travel and personal engagements.

SC remedy

Poa has yet to recommend to Duterte the filing of a petition before the Supreme Court questioning the impeachment court’s ruling.

“When we advice her, we’ll have to give her the pros and cons of everything. I’m preparing to do that. Once I lay it out for her, maybe that’s where she can decide if it’s OK for her. We’re also looking at the repercussions of doing this,” Poa said.

The defense team is unsure if the high court would issue a temporary restraining order if they file a petition, Poa noted.

Allowing bank records to be presented before the court has a precedent in the 2012 impeachment trial of late chief justice Renato Corona, presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero recalled.

The Bank Secrecy Law exempts impeachment cases from the rule on confidentiality of bank records and privacy rights of depositors, he noted.

Escudero found no merit in the defense’s contention that the Vice President’s bank and tax records before she became an impeachable officer or held a public position should be excluded.

Sen. Imee Marcos is supporting the subpoenas only if these are limited to Duterte’s current term, claiming that the impeachment court has jurisdiction only over alleged acts committed during her tenure.

Marcos opposed requests for subpoenas covering Duterte’s bank, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Anti-Money Laundering Council records before she assumed office on June 30, 2022. — Mark Ernest Villeza