Senate Impeachment trial presiding officer Chiz Escudero defended the issuance of a subpoena covering Vice President Sara Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) from 2007 to 2025, saying the records are necessary to establish a baseline for determining changes in her declared wealth.
“The chair would like to remind the counsel for respondent the ruling of the chair with respect to the issuance of subpoenas covering the period from 2007 up to 2025,” Escudero said during the 25th day of the impeachment trial on Tuesday, September 15.
Escudero cited the Supreme Court case Office of the Ombudsman v. Bernardo, G.R. No. 181598, dated March 2013, in explaining the ruling.
“That pursuant to Office of the Ombudsman vs. Bernardo GR181598 dated March 2013, there is a necessity to establish the baseline,” he said.
Escudero stressed that establishing the baseline is not only for the prosecution but also for Duterte’s defense to determine the starting figure needed in computing her SALN figures during her term as Vice President.
“Not for the prosecution but equally for the respondent in order to find out what is the base figure for the computation of the SALN during her term as vice president,” he added.
The presiding officer also clarified that allowing the subpoena does not expand the impeachment charges against Duterte to include alleged acts committed before she became Vice President.
“The chair also clarified when it ruled in favor of granting the subpoena that we are not adding to the charges against the Vice President for supposed acts committed prior to her term as vice president,” Escudero said.
The subpoena is being discussed as the Senate impeachment court proceeds with Article II of the case, which covers allegations of unexplained wealth, false SALNs, and continued business interests against Duterte.
