Photo credit: Congress PH

House Committee on Justice chair Gerville Luistro of Batangas said a sealed box from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) containing the income tax returns of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband could play a major role in the impeachment proceedings — but may only explain either her SALN figures or the controversial AMLC report, not both at the same time.

Speaking during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, Luistro said the documents inside the unopened BIR box could help clarify issues surrounding Duterte’s declared wealth and the alleged P6.7 billion in covered and suspicious transactions flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

“I agree to that because the SALN and the AMLC report are contradictory. So, if the ITR will be able to explain the SALN, definitely it cannot explain the AMLC report,” Luistro explained.

“But if it can explain the AMLC report, definitely it will not be able to explain the SALN,” she added.

The Batangas lawmaker said the sealed box was among the records gathered by the House Justice Committee and could eventually be transmitted to the Senate if the House plenary approves the impeachment articles against Duterte.

The impeachment proceedings include allegations related to Duterte’s wealth declarations, including the reported increase in her net worth from P7.25 million in 2007 to P88.51 million in 2024.

Lawmakers also examined AMLC findings allegedly showing around P6.7 billion in transactions connected to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.

Last week, lawyer Peter Paul Danao, speaking for Carpio’s camp, said Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) clarified that a reported “P2 billion” transaction was actually “P2 million,” allegedly due to a system glitch.

Luistro also confirmed that the House panel subpoenaed the BIR for the couple’s income tax returns through a subpoena duces tecum, but stressed that the box was never opened during committee proceedings.

“Well, actually ang laman po nung kahon, I believe are ITRs sapagkat ‘yan po ang sinubpoena namin. We issued subpoena duces tecum to the BIR to produce the Income Tax Returns of the VP and spouse,” Luistro clarified.

“But as to the amount reflected as income of the spouses, eh di po namin alam kasi di nga po namin nabuksan,” she continued.

According to Luistro, the main issue is whether the tax returns can justify either the SALN declarations, the AMLC transactions, both, or neither.

“Pero dalawang bagay lang po ‘yan. It’s either they will be able to justify the SALN, including the AMLC report, or they will not be able to justify. Dalawang bagay lang po yun,” Luistro noted.

She also pointed out that based on salary estimates, the couple’s reported earnings appeared lower than the declared P88 million net worth reflected in Duterte’s SALN.

“Yun pong P88 million na net worth sa SALN, kasi pag kinuwenta niyo po yung sweldo nila, P30 million lang dapat. But it’s P88 million,” Luistro explained.

“So we have to see from the ITR, meron ba silang malaking personal income from their businesses kaya nagkaroon sila ng net worth na P88 million,” she added.

Luistro said the sealed box is no longer under the custody of the Justice Committee and may already be with the House plenary, although she was unsure which office specifically holds it.

She also confirmed that the sealed records would be transmitted to the Senate if the House approves the impeachment complaint.

“Kung ma-affirm ng plenaryo ang decision ng Justice Committee, yes. Even the sealed box of the BIR will be transmitted by the House of Representatives to the Senate,” Luistro confirmed.

However, Luistro clarified that the unopened box is not yet considered formal evidence since the committee never examined its contents.

“It is not yet considered as evidence because as a matter of fact wala naman tayong nakita dahil hindi natin binuksan,” she said.

“But we are interested to see what is inside as well. And we honestly believe that if we transmit this to the Senate, the Senate will be in a better position to open this,” Luistro added.