House prosecution panel spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers expressed confidence that the defense would struggle to refute the evidence presented against Vice President Sara Duterte in Article II of the articles of impeachment, which concerns her alleged unexplained wealth.
Barbers maintained that the prosecution’s evidence would be difficult to dispute because the documents came from Duterte’s own camp and various government agencies, including bank records, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and the Office of the Ombudsman.
“Talagang mahihirapan silang i-rebut o i-dispute yung mga ebidensyang ipinakita natin sa impeachment court. Bakit? ’Yung mga dokumentong ’yan at ’yung mga ebidensyang ’yan ay galing po mismo sa kanila,” Barbers said.
He cited Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), particularly the reported absence of cash on hand and cash in bank in certain declarations, despite previously declared amounts from 2007 to 2019.
Barbers also pointed to bank records that he said reflected year-end account balances that did not match the amounts declared in the Vice President’s SALNs.
The prosecution spokesperson said the defense’s reported plan to present 90 witnesses would not necessarily overcome the documentary evidence, although he acknowledged that he was unsure whether the proposed witnesses would address all four articles of impeachment or only Article II.
“Even if 91 ’yung kanilang witnesses na ’yan, mukhang mahihirapan sila ma-rebut o ma-refute ’yung mga dokumento na galing mismo sa bangko, galing sa BIR, galing sa AMLAC, galing sa Ombudsman at ’yung SALN na sinasubmit ng ating pangalawang Pangulo,” Barbers said.
The defense is expected to present its side as the impeachment proceedings continue, with the allegations concerning Duterte’s wealth remaining a key issue in Article II.
