THE private defense counsel of Vice-President (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio reiterated its continuing objection to the House of Representatives prosecutors’ formal offer of exhibits, saying all evidence is inadmissible because they are results of “an impermissible fishing expedition.”
Prosecution’s exhibits were primarily financial records of the Vice-President, including her 2007 to 2025 statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, Securities and Exchange Commission records, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records and reports and various documents related to her declared business interests.
In their comment, dated Oct. 20, the camp argued these exhibits were not attached to the articles of impeachment against the Vice-President, specifically after the withdrawal of Impeachment Articles I, III and IV.
“[T]he prosecution now asks this court to admit a mass of documents into evidence that do not form part of any impeachment complaints but were merely obtained by them over the course of trial and in a massive trawling fashion,” Ms. Duterte’s camp said.
The sole basis for the Senate impeachment court’s possible conviction is Article II on allegations of unexplained wealth, which saw Ms. Duterte’s financial records and transactions presented as evidence.
All of the evidence against Ms. Duterte is also inadmissible because they were obtained and used in clear violation of the law, the defense added.
They reiterated that the Anti-Money Laundering Act’s (AMLA) information security and confidentiality clause was ground to expunge the AMLCrecords.
Presiding Officer Francis G. Escudero earlier ruled that the documents were admissible in the impeachment court.
Meanwhile, a House prosecutor on Tuesday criticized Ms. Duterte’s defense team for objecting to all documentary evidence submitted by the prosecution in the unexplained wealth component of her impeachment trial, including her own asset declarations and financial records.
Party-list Rep. Terry L. Ridon questioned the blanket objections, noting that the defense had participated in the hearings and cross-examined witnesses who authenticated the documents.
“Because I think all the evidence we have seen has been subjected to cross-examination. They had participated in it,” Mr. Ridon told reporters in mixed English and Filipino.
The House prosecution submitted its formal offer of evidence on Oct. 21, following the presentation of witnesses and financial records involving Ms. Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
The prosecution presented forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera, whose examination identified approximately P817.87 million in allegedly unexplained wealth, with a broader estimate reaching as much as P1.5 billion.
“So it’s a bit funny that they have a blanket objection to every single piece of evidence submitted by the prosecution,” Mr. Ridon said in Filipino.
He expressed confidence that the Senate impeachment court would not sustain all the objections, arguing that doing so could leave the prosecution without evidence to support its allegations.
The senator-judges will determine which documents may be admitted into evidence. Proceedings are scheduled to resume on Nov. 9, when the House prosecution is expected to cross-examine the defense witnesses. — Francessca S. Abalos and Pexcel John Bacon