Forensic financial analyst and lawyer Alexander Cabrera said on Monday that he is not scared of possible penalties for violating confidentiality laws when he received financial records of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Cabrera made the remarks during Day 38 of Duterte’s impeachment trial on October 12, as defense counsel Kristine Ferrer cross-examined him about the confidentiality of documents obtained from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
Ferrer asked Cabrera whether he had considered that he or the officials who provided the documents, including bank, AMLC and Bureau of Internal Revenue officers, could be violating confidentiality laws.
“Wala po akong concern doon. Ang concern ko lang po ay matanggap po yung documents from the prosecution. Wala po akong concern outside of that po,” Cabrera replied.
Ferrer cited provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), the Bank Secrecy Law and the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) concerning the confidentiality of financial records.
She also presented penalties under the AMLA for breaches of confidentiality, including imprisonment of three to eight years and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P1 million for violations covered by the cited provision.
“I will no longer specify the penalties but it includes imprisonment and fine. But it is not meant to scare you, Sir,” Ferrer told Cabrera.
“I’m not scared naman po,” the witness responded.
Ferrer then pressed Cabrera on whether, as a lawyer, he was concerned that furnishing him with AMLC documents without permission from the impeachment court could violate confidentiality laws.
Cabrera said he believed it was acceptable to receive the records because they had already been discussed during previous proceedings before the House of Representatives Committee on Justice.
“Dahil na-take up na po sa House at pinagtalunan na po sa House, kaya po ang nasa isip ko ay okay lang po iyon na tanggapin ko,” he said.
The defense also presented Section 2 of Republic Act No. 1405, or the Bank Secrecy Law, during the cross-examination.
Cabrera further cited Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, in explaining why he was not concerned about receiving the bank records.
“Pinapaliwanag ko lang kung bakit ako hindi nabahala dahil nasa batas po ang bank deposits,” he said.
The prosecution presented Cabrera as a forensic financial analyst to examine the financial records of Duterte and Carpio amid allegations of unexplained wealth.
