The House prosecution panel pointed out on Monday, July 20, that the disclosure of Vice President Sara Duterte’s bank records would aid her defense team in proving her innocence if she truly does not have hidden wealth.

“Kung ganoon ang kanilang depensa, hindi ba makakatulong sa lahat, para din sa kanila, na buksan itong mga bank records na ‘to, para once and for all, ma-settle [kung]magkano ba talagang nilalaman ng mga bank accounts niya?” private prosecutor Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. pointed out during a press conference.

He recounted that although Duterte has a declared net worth of ₱80 million, her bank transactions, as revealed during the earlier House Justice Committee proceedings, amounted to no less than ₱6.7 billion.

The defense argued that this amount was a “bloated” figure, with the same amount having been returned after transactions or transferred to other bank accounts.

“Ang naging explanation ng kampo ng Bise Presidente ay these numbers were supposedly bloated, dahil ang sinasabi nila, puwede dito, may pumasok na same pera, lumabas ulit, at pumasok na naman… Puwede po rin daw na inter-bank transfers, meaning from one bank account ng Bise Presidente, linipat lang sa kabilang bank account niya,” Tolosa recalled.

If this were the case, Duterte’s bank records would shed light on the alleged discrepancy, he reasoned, which would aid her lawyers in disputing Article I, which concerns her reported misuse of government funds.

CLAMOR FOR FULL EXERCISE OF COURT AUTHORITY, ACCOUNTABILITY

Moreover, the Filipino people understand that the Constitution's mandate for accountability is at stake as the impeachment court deliberates on whether to reveal Duterte's bank records, prosecution spokesperson and Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said.

“I think the Filipino people understand what is at stake here, dito sa usapin ng impeachment trial. At stake po dito, ay ‘yung Saligang Batas talaga, at ‘yung pananagutan, kung saan binigyan ng kapangyarihan ang Saligang Batas ang Senado—katangi-tanging kapangyarihan, exclusive power—to try and decide (an) impeachment complaint,” the lawmaker told reporters.

“Nakikita natin ‘yung ano ang nagiging reaksyon ng taumbayan dahil alam nila, naintindihan nila na ito lang ‘yung paraan kung paano ang Senado ay mabigyan ‘yung kanilang magiging pagsusuri ay it will lead also to them, not only resolving the case, but also to exercise ‘yung kanilang katangi-tanging kapangyarihan. The truth shall set us free,” he added.

Adiong said that, during the impeachment proceedings against former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, the people felt “betrayed” when a “second envelope” supposedly containing bank records that could have linked him to an account holding billions of pesos in illegal funds and kickbacks remained unopened.

He said he understands the people’s “clamor for accountability” and their “demand” for the court to exercise its full authority.

“Kung ano po ‘yung mga batas na na-mention po in the oral argument by the defense, it should not be reasons to curtail the right of the Senate, acting as impeachment court, because the basis for them to exercise this power is granted to them by the fundamental law of the land, which is the 1987 Philippine Constitution,” the congressman said.

Today, the impeachment court will be deliberating on whether to issue a subpoena for Duterte’s bank records, which will encompass not only the documents contained within the controversial “BIR box” that has been kept sealed throughout the Justice Committee proceedings and was recently returned to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).