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House Spokesman Says VP Sara's Tax Records Could Shed Light On Impeachment Allegations
Photo credit: Congress PH
House trial spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said opening the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte would help provide the Senate impeachment court with a more complete picture of her financial background as the impeachment proceedings move forward.
Speaking at a forum in Quezon City, Adiong explained that this was the reason the House prosecution panel sought to open a sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) box believed to contain the income tax returns of the Vice President and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
According to Adiong, reviewing the documents would allow the prosecution to present what he described as a clearer financial picture instead of relying on incomplete information.
The House prosecution has maintained that the records could support one of the allegations in the Articles of Impeachment involving purported unexplained wealth. However, this allegation has yet to be determined by the Senate impeachment court.
Adiong also argued that the impeachment court has the authority to examine the Vice President's tax records as part of its constitutional duty to hear and decide the case.
He explained that during the House Committee on Justice proceedings, the BIR documents remained sealed to avoid possible issues involving taxpayer confidentiality under the National Internal Revenue Code. Instead of opening the records during the House inquiry, the committee opted to leave the matter to the Senate impeachment court.
When asked whether the prosecution would pursue separate criminal charges if inconsistencies were found in Duterte's tax records or financial documents, Adiong said that is not the panel's current focus.
He stressed that the prosecution is concentrating solely on proving the Articles of Impeachment and is not speculating on possible legal actions that could arise outside the impeachment proceedings.
The proposal to open the sealed BIR records was raised during last week's pre-trial conference on the marking of evidence. Lawyers for Vice President Duterte objected to the move and later submitted their written explanation to the Senate impeachment court.
According to the prosecution, marking the tax records as evidence before the trial proper would help streamline the proceedings and save time once the presentation of evidence begins.
Speaking at a forum in Quezon City, Adiong explained that this was the reason the House prosecution panel sought to open a sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) box believed to contain the income tax returns of the Vice President and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
According to Adiong, reviewing the documents would allow the prosecution to present what he described as a clearer financial picture instead of relying on incomplete information.
The House prosecution has maintained that the records could support one of the allegations in the Articles of Impeachment involving purported unexplained wealth. However, this allegation has yet to be determined by the Senate impeachment court.
Adiong also argued that the impeachment court has the authority to examine the Vice President's tax records as part of its constitutional duty to hear and decide the case.
He explained that during the House Committee on Justice proceedings, the BIR documents remained sealed to avoid possible issues involving taxpayer confidentiality under the National Internal Revenue Code. Instead of opening the records during the House inquiry, the committee opted to leave the matter to the Senate impeachment court.
When asked whether the prosecution would pursue separate criminal charges if inconsistencies were found in Duterte's tax records or financial documents, Adiong said that is not the panel's current focus.
He stressed that the prosecution is concentrating solely on proving the Articles of Impeachment and is not speculating on possible legal actions that could arise outside the impeachment proceedings.
The proposal to open the sealed BIR records was raised during last week's pre-trial conference on the marking of evidence. Lawyers for Vice President Duterte objected to the move and later submitted their written explanation to the Senate impeachment court.
According to the prosecution, marking the tax records as evidence before the trial proper would help streamline the proceedings and save time once the presentation of evidence begins.
Jun 29, 2026
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