Regarding the impeachment of VP Sara Duterte, a House panel has ordered this.
VP SARA DUTERTE IMPEACHMENT – A House panel has ordered the release of financial records and investigative documents as part of the proceedings.
Vice President Sara Duterte did not attend the hearing under the House Committee on Justice on Wednesday, March 25, after lawmakers found the complaints against VP Sara sufficient in form, substance, and grounds.
This is the start of the formal proceedings regarding the impeachment complaints filed against her. Despite VP Sara’s absence in the first hearing, House Committee on Justice Chairperson Gerville Luistro assured that the hearing will push through, as the committee is “duty-bound to continue with its mandate under the Constitution.”
However, her absence means no evidence will be presented to counter the complainant’s allegations. The committee has also scheduled hearings on April 14, 22, and 29.
During the first hearing, the House Committee on Justice approved a subpoena ordering the Office of the Ombudsman to release the vice president’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) covering 2007 to 2013, 2016 to 2022, and 2022 to 2025.
Accordingly, this will help the lawmakers establish a “documentary record” for the impeachment case, wherein one of the issues was her unexplained wealth. A lawmaker earlier flagged a significant gap between Duterte’s declared net worth and her estimated cumulative government salary, prompting calls for closer scrutiny.
During the same hearing, the House justice panel approved a subpoena ordering the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to submit its investigation records on a video showing Duterte allegedly threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and Martin Romualdez.
SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS
- Duterte’s statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALNs)
- NBI findings in its probe of Duterte’s threats against the President
- Documents related to confidential and intelligence funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during Duterte’s tenure as secretary
- Certifications from the Philippine Statistics Authority on identities of recipients of confidential and intelligence funds from Duterte’s offices
- Affidavit of Ramil Madriaga, alleged bagman of Duterte
- Tax records of Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio
- Business records of Duterte and her husband
SUBPOENAED INDIVIDUALS
- Commission on Audit (COA) custodian of documents related to confidential and intelligence funds of the OVP and DepEd
- Madriaga
- Notary public who signed Madriaga’s affidavit
- Michael Poa, Duterte’s lawyer and former DepEd undersecretary
- PSA representative
- Custodian of House archives division to authenticate materials from House hearings on Duterte’s use of confidential and intelligence funds
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