A deputy speaker of the House of Representatives said bank records of Vice President Sara Duterte could be examined as part of potential impeachment proceedings.
Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said the chamber may review financial documents in connection with allegations cited in an impeachment complaint, including claims of unexplained wealth and issues related to Duterte’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, or SALN.
Ortega said the accusations outlined in the fourth impeachment complaint are serious and cannot be ignored. He said there are claims that some bank accounts, properties and financial transactions were not reflected in Duterte’s SALN filings.
He said lawmakers may need to examine these disclosures and trace where large amounts of money were transferred, based on the allegations raised by complainants.
Complainant Atty. Nathaniel Cabrera has proposed that bank records containing deposits, withdrawals, transfers and account activity from 2019 to 2025 be subpoenaed. The proposal also calls for coordination with the Commission on Audit, Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
There is also a suggestion to commission an independent forensic accounting team to review SALN filings along with bank and property records tied to the vice president.
Ortega said the House has constitutional investigatory powers during impeachment proceedings and cited jurisprudence that may allow bank secrecy rules to be set aside in the public interest.
He added that reviewing financial records should not be viewed as harassment, saying oversight is part of the chamber’s constitutional duty during impeachment.
