The House prosecution team defended the presentation of documents on the firearms registered to Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio, saying the records were relevant to the allegations under Article II of the impeachment case.

House lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro clarified during a post-trial press conference on Monday, September 28, after several senator-judges questioned the relevance of discussing the couple’s firearms during the 30th day of the impeachment trial.

Luistro explained that the firearms were considered assets that should be declared in the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) of public officials.

“Assets of the respondent Vice President,” Luistro said. “As a matter of fact, our good public prosecutor in the person of Congresswoman Belle Zamora even cited Section 34 of the Guidelines on Declaration of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, the 2025 Guidelines, which explicitly says na dapat ang firearms ay idinideclare.”

“At any rate, an important question was raised by the Honorable Senator Judge Raffy Tulfo, bakit nga ba merong ganitong karaming baril ang ating bise presidente?” she said.

Earlier during the proceedings, PMaj. Joericson Sangalang of the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office Records Division testified on the firearms registered under the names of Duterte and Carpio.

Sangalang said 22 firearms were registered under Duterte’s name, while 29 firearms were registered under Carpio’s name.

The prosecution presented the firearms records as part of its evidence under Article II, which concerns allegations of “Unexplained Wealth, False SALNs, and Continued Business Interests.”