The Senate Impeachment Court is entering a pivotal week as senator-judges are set to tackle key prosecution requests for Vice President Sara Duterte’s tax and financial records, while also hearing the testimony of her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, as the trial resumes on Monday, July 13.
At the start of this week’s proceedings, the court is expected to hear oral arguments on motions seeking subpoenas for Duterte’s tax records from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and records from other entities related to allegations of unexplained wealth and the alleged misuse of confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Lopez, meanwhile, has been ordered to appear before the impeachment court after senators granted the House prosecution panel’s request to subpoena her.
Prosecutors want Lopez to testify on the fourth article of impeachment, which accuses Duterte of making grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Lopez briefly appeared at the Senate last Thursday after the impeachment court announced it would summon her for the next hearing. She declined to explain the purpose of her visit, telling reporters only, “Prepare for Typhoon Inday.”
Ahead of the proceedings, Senator-judge Panfilo “Ping” Lacson reiterated that he would not support any move to unseal the BIR’s so-called “green box” containing Duterte’s tax records without the written authority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying such a move would violate the National Internal Revenue Code.
In an interview with Radio DZBB on Sunday, July 12, Lacson cited Sections 71 and 270 of the tax code, as well as Supreme Court jurisprudence, stressing that the impeachment court must remain bound by existing laws.
“If it is forcibly unsealed without the written authority of the President, I will vote against it,” Lacson said, adding that his position should not be construed as support for Duterte’s defense.
“I am not favoring the defense. I am invoking the law,” he said, stressing that the Senate, even while sitting as an impeachment court, “cannot be above the law.”
Meanwhile, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian announced that all pleadings, filings, and other documents related to the impeachment trial are now available on the Senate’s website to bolster transparency in the proceedings.
Gatchalian said making the records publicly accessible would allow Filipinos to examine the evidence firsthand rather than rely solely on information circulating on social media.
He added that he had instructed the Senate Secretariat to promptly upload documents and evidence as they are presented during the trial.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.