VP’s SALN, AMLC records formally admitted into evidence

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court has formally admitted into evidence the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records of Vice President Sara Duterte, while denying the prosecution’s plea to include Commission on Audit (COA) reports regarding her controversial confidential funds.

In a 21-page order issued Thursday, presiding officer Francis Escudero resolved the prosecution’s formal offer of documentary evidence on Article II (unexplained wealth), defining the exact legal parameters of the trial.

To evaluate the Vice President’s wealth, the court admitted volumes of financial, corporate, tax and property documents dating from 2007 to 2021, overruling the defense’s continuing objection against the use of records that pre-date Duterte’s vice presidency.

However, the tribunal imposed a strict limitation on how these older documents can be used by the senator-judges.

“Records predating June 30, 2022 cannot be used to charge or prove additional, independent offenses committed before the Respondent’s current term as Vice President,” Escudero ruled.

Instead, the tribunal explained that these records are admitted “SOLELY to establish a factual baseline against which the Respondent’s assets, liabilities, net worth, financial resources, transactions and business interests during 2022 to 2025 may be evaluated under Article II.”

On the other hand, it completely excluded all exhibits intended to show that the COA flagged and disallowed disbursements of confidential funds in the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education in 2022 and 2023.

The court also admitted AMLC intelligence reports, covered transaction reports and suspicious transaction reports involving the Vice President, her husband Manases Carpio and their associated businesses. — Bella Cariaso, Daphne Galvez