Impeachment prosecutors from the House of Representatives will ask for a subpoena of Vice President Sara Duterte’s bank records as part of a strategy to strengthen the case against her once the Senate convenes as an impeachment court.
Manila Third District Representative Joel Chua, one of the members of the 11-man prosecution team, said they are studying legal options to obtain financial records that could be used in specific articles of impeachment against Duterte.
He said the process is part of the process to complete the evidence that supports the case.
Chua explained that under the Bank Secrecy Law, there is an exception in impeachment cases so they will use all legal procedures to collect documents.
The lawmaker cited the defendant in the 2012 impeachment trial against Chief Justice Renato Corona where his bank records were subpoenaed and used as evidence to prove allegations of ill-gotten wealth failure to declare some of his properties in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth(SALN).
The prosecutors said even though the Senate has not convened as impeachment court they are already actively preparing for trial by reviewing evidence, gathering documentary records, contacting financial agencies and laying out possible witnesses.
The House prosecutors also plan to contact the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Commission on Audit (COA) to assess financial transactions linked to alleged irregularities in public funds.
(Inday Sara Duterte photo)
Abner is an award-winning journalist. He received the prestigious 2015 Titus Brandsma Award for Community Communication in the Philippines and participated in the 2016 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States of America, sponsored by the US Embassy in the Philippines. Founder of WATCH NORTH COTABATO, a media-citizens’ transparency group. He worked as a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and CNN Philippines. His experience in broadcasting includes anchoring for Brigada News FM in Kidapawan and General Santos City and Brigada News TV. He anchors Tira Brigada via 105.1 Brigada News FM Manila, Mondays-Saturdays.