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House Cites Corona Case In Push For Sara Duterte's Records
Photo credit: Senate PH
The House prosecution panel on Wednesday pointed to the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona as a legal precedent in its bid to obtain the financial, tax, and banking records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
During oral arguments before the Senate impeachment court, impeachment prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno argued that the Senate had previously allowed the examination of financial records that covered periods before an impeachable official assumed office.
“Sa huli, binusisi ng hukumang ito ang bank records ni Chief Justice Corona mula sa kanyang unang balance bago pa man siya naging Punong Mahistrado,” Diokno said.
The prosecution said the requested records—including bank documents, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) files, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reports—are relevant to the second article of impeachment against Duterte.
According to the impeachment complaint, the vice president is accused of allegedly accumulating wealth disproportionate to her lawful income, failing to fully disclose assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), and engaging in business activities that allegedly violate constitutional provisions.
Diokno recalled that during Corona’s impeachment trial, then Philippine Savings (PS) Bank President Pascual Garcia III initially declined to answer questions regarding the opening balance of two peso accounts owned by the former chief justice.
He noted that then senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano argued that the opening account documents should have been submitted before the impeachment court. Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who presided over the trial, later ordered the issuance of a subpoena directing the PS Bank Katipunan branch manager to produce Corona’s bank records.
Diokno added that the impeachment court denied the defense's motions to quash the subpoena and suppress the records, ruling that the documents were necessary to determine whether Corona had properly declared his deposits in his SALN.
He also cited discussions during the Corona impeachment involving then senator-judge Francis Escudero—now the presiding officer in Duterte’s impeachment trial—on whether evidence from before an official assumed office could be considered. According to Diokno, the Senate impeachment court ultimately allowed such evidence after deliberations.
“The panel of prosecutors respectfully submits that the subpoenas for the production of the bank records, [AMLC] documents, and BIR documents of the Vice President and her husband are proper and should be issued by this Honorable Court,” Diokno said.
The House prosecution panel maintained that the Corona impeachment established that financial records from before an official assumed an impeachable position may be examined if they are relevant in determining accountability and fitness for public office.
During oral arguments before the Senate impeachment court, impeachment prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno argued that the Senate had previously allowed the examination of financial records that covered periods before an impeachable official assumed office.
“Sa huli, binusisi ng hukumang ito ang bank records ni Chief Justice Corona mula sa kanyang unang balance bago pa man siya naging Punong Mahistrado,” Diokno said.
The prosecution said the requested records—including bank documents, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) files, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reports—are relevant to the second article of impeachment against Duterte.
According to the impeachment complaint, the vice president is accused of allegedly accumulating wealth disproportionate to her lawful income, failing to fully disclose assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), and engaging in business activities that allegedly violate constitutional provisions.
Diokno recalled that during Corona’s impeachment trial, then Philippine Savings (PS) Bank President Pascual Garcia III initially declined to answer questions regarding the opening balance of two peso accounts owned by the former chief justice.
He noted that then senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano argued that the opening account documents should have been submitted before the impeachment court. Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who presided over the trial, later ordered the issuance of a subpoena directing the PS Bank Katipunan branch manager to produce Corona’s bank records.
Diokno added that the impeachment court denied the defense's motions to quash the subpoena and suppress the records, ruling that the documents were necessary to determine whether Corona had properly declared his deposits in his SALN.
He also cited discussions during the Corona impeachment involving then senator-judge Francis Escudero—now the presiding officer in Duterte’s impeachment trial—on whether evidence from before an official assumed office could be considered. According to Diokno, the Senate impeachment court ultimately allowed such evidence after deliberations.
“The panel of prosecutors respectfully submits that the subpoenas for the production of the bank records, [AMLC] documents, and BIR documents of the Vice President and her husband are proper and should be issued by this Honorable Court,” Diokno said.
The House prosecution panel maintained that the Corona impeachment established that financial records from before an official assumed an impeachable position may be examined if they are relevant in determining accountability and fitness for public office.
Jul 16, 2026
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