MANILA—House prosecutors on Wednesday urged the Senate sitting as an impeachment court to subpoena Vice President Sara Duterte's bank, tax and anti-money laundering records, arguing the documents are necessary to determine the truth of allegations at the center of her impeachment trial, while the defense opposed the request as an overly broad "fishing expedition."
Akbayan Representative Chel Diokno, a member of the House prosecution panel, told senator-judges that the impeachment court has constitutional authority to compel the production of financial records despite bank secrecy protections, arguing that no law could restrict the Senate's power to hear and decide an impeachment case.
"Nothing and no one can handcuff this Court's power to try and decide this impeachment case," Diokno said during oral arguments before the impeachment court, according to proceedings reported by Philippine media.
The prosecution said the requested records, including documents from banks, the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), could help establish facts related to allegations of unexplained wealth, undeclared assets and the alleged misuse of confidential funds cited in the articles of impeachment. Prosecutors have previously said impeachment proceedings are among the exceptions recognized under Philippine bank secrecy laws for the disclosure of financial records.
Defense spokesperson and counsel Michael Poa urged the Senate impeachment court to deny the request, arguing that prosecutors were seeking records beyond the scope of the impeachment case. He said subpoenas should not be used as instruments for a "fishing expedition" and maintained that some requested AMLC records relate to periods before Duterte held an impeachable national office.
The exchange marked the sixth day of Duterte's impeachment trial, which opened earlier this month after months of pretrial proceedings and evidence preparation by both sides. The House prosecution panel has said it intends to present more than 30 witnesses and extensive documentary evidence in support of four articles of impeachment.
Duterte has denied wrongdoing and has repeatedly described the impeachment proceedings as politically motivated. She faces allegations that include misuse of confidential public funds, bribery, unexplained wealth and other misconduct, as well as accusations stemming from remarks interpreted as threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and others. The allegations have not been judicially established, and the impeachment trial is the constitutional process for determining whether she should be removed from office.
The Senate impeachment court heard oral arguments from both sides on Wednesday but had not issued a final ruling on the prosecution's request for subpoenas by the close of the day's proceedings.
