House prosecutors want to unseal VP Sara’s tax records for evidence marking
MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution has proposed to the Senate impeachment court that the sealed box containing the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Mans Carpio, be opened for the marking of evidence.
Public prosecutor and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima announced that a manifestation was filed before the Senate impeachment court on Wednesday, June 24, containing the proposal to open the box from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) during the pretrial conference, along with other requests related to the conduct of the impeachment proceedings.
“Since we are in the marking of exhibits, this is the proper stage na kailangan na rin siguro buksan ‘yan para magkaroon na ng inventory of the contents of that particular BIR box,” De Lima said in a press briefing on the sidelines of the fourth day of the pretrial conference.
(Since we are in the marking of exhibits, this is the proper stage that we probably need to open it so we can create an inventory of the content of that particular BIR box).
What’s in the box?
The box was previously submitted by the tax bureau to the House Committee on Justice during a hearing in April in connection with allegations of unexplained wealth involving the vice president.
The income tax returns contained in the box were subpoenaed by the committee to determine whether the assets of the vice president and her husband were properly reflected in their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
However, a majority of the committee members voted to keep the box sealed, reasoning that the hearings did not satisfy the condition under the National Internal Revenue Code that tax documents requested by Congress must be examined during executive sessions or in aid of legislation.
Only six members of the committee voted in favor of unsealing the box, including De Lima, and as a result, it remained sealed when it was transmitted to the Senate along with the four Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.
De Lima said it would be better if the box were unsealed before the impeachment trial begins on July 6, since the marking of evidence is still ongoing.
“Sa tingin namin that would aid also in a more efficient and more expeditious conduct of trial kung mabuksan na rin ‘yan ngayon during this stage of pre-trial,” De Lima said.
(We think it would aid also in a more efficient and more expeditious conduct of trial if this [box] would be opened during this stage of pre-trial)
Mass-friendly trial
The House prosecution also requested that both Filipino and English be allowed in the impeachment proceedings to make them more accessible to the public.
“It’s a very public proceedings, it’s a public trial, and therefore mas maganda kung mas marami ang nakakaintindi. So it would help if from time to time gumagamit ng Filipino language na mas simple at mas maintindihan ng mga nanonood at nakikinig,” De Lima said.
(It’s a very public proceedings, it’s a public trial, and therefore it’s better if more people would understand. So, it would help to use the Filipino language from time to time to make it simpler and more understandable for the viewers and listeners)
Meanwhile, the public prosecutors also included in their manifestation a "reciprocal three-day disclosure rule" for surprise witnesses, although De Lima clarified that the request came from Duterte’s camp.
Another proposal from the House is to allow both public and private prosecutors to present and examine witnesses on issues that are too broad.
When asked to comment on the prosecution’s requests, Duterte's lawyer Michael Poa said they have yet to file a formal response.
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