Sara Duterte camp ready as Senate issues subpoenas for bank, tax records

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte said it is ready to address the allegations against her before the impeachment court as the Senate impeachment court started issuing subpoenas for her bank and tax records.

Atty. Michael Poa, one of Duterte’s legal counsel, on Friday maintained the defense was not afraid of the documents but merely wants to follow the rule of law in the process.

“Handang-handa naman tayo… Ang punto lang naman talaga natin do'n, wala naman tayong hangarin na ma-suppress o pigilan ang paglalabas. It’s just that we felt strongly na may mga batas na nagbabawal dito and that’s why we said, while we’re searching for the truth, it must be done within the limits of the Constitution, the law, and the rules,” Poa told Unang Balita.

(We are very ready to defend her. Our point in opposing the issuance of a subpoena was that we strongly felt that there were laws prohibiting it, and that’s why we said that while we’re searching for the truth, it must be done within the limits of the Constitution, the law, and the rules.)

Poa said they already anticipated the possibility the Senate impeachment court may rule in favor of the prosecution’s request to issue a subpoena against Duterte’s financial and tax records. He also said they are now ready to show that the “allegations of unexplained wealth have no basis”.

The court has started issuing subpoenas on Duterte's documents as trial proceedings are paused for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) and related activities.

Among those who were already issued subpoenas are the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, and several banks, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Alfred Corpus said. They were given until July 30 to comply.

Duterte is facing impeachment charges over allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes. In May, she was impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time.

On May 18, the Senate convened as an impeachment court. On June 1, Duterte's camp filed its answer on the Articles of Impeachment, asking the court to junk the impeachment case against her. –Sundy Locus/NB, GMA News