VICE President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, should answer questions surrounding their wealth and financial interests, House leaders said Tuesday as the Senate impeachment trial scrutinized their financial declarations.
Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said the couple had “a lot of explaining to do” as lawmakers examine allegations of unexplained wealth and discrepancies in their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
“Again, they have a lot of explaining to do. They have a lot of answers to give,” Ortega said during a press briefing.
Ortega made the statement when asked about the possibility of Carpio appearing as a witness in the impeachment trial. He said lawmakers had wanted Duterte herself to testify during the House proceedings and that Carpio’s possible appearance could provide an opportunity to hear directly from the couple.
“Actually, mas noon pang hearing sa House, ang gusto nga namin mismo, eh, ’yung Vice President,” Ortega said.
“So, kumbaga, package — parang package na lang kung sakaling mag-appear po ’yung kanyang better half,” he added.
Ortega and Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. were among the lawmakers who endorsed an impeachment complaint against Duterte that was eventually incorporated into the Articles of Impeachment now being heard by the Senate.
“As endorsers, we want to see this through and we want our big question marks answered as well,” Ortega said.
Abante, chair of the House Committee on Human Rights, also said Carpio’s appearance could help clarify questions raised during the presentation of the couple’s SALNs.
He initially saw no need to call Carpio because of the evidence already presented by the prosecution. However, after Tuesday’s discussion of the couple’s financial declarations, Abante said he was reconsidering the possibility.
“Pero palagay ko, narinig ko kanina ’yung mga SALN, kasama ’yung asawa niya. Well, siguro mas maganda nang patawag natin,” Abante said.
Abante also argued that Duterte herself could address the questions because she has personal knowledge of her own financial declarations.
The defense had objected to information presented by Ombudsman records official Karen Batu on the ground that she lacked personal knowledge of the contents of the SALNs.
“Eh wala palang personal knowledge. Payagan na nila si Vice President mag-appear, sapagkat meron siyang personal knowledge. Siya mismo nakakaalam ng lahat ng mga bagay na ’yan,” Abante said.
The House prosecution panel, however, has yet to decide whether Carpio will be called to testify.
House impeachment prosecutor 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez said prosecutors would have to determine whether Carpio could provide information that could not be established through other witnesses.
“Definitely, the consideration would be whether or not the witness would add something to the table which cannot be provided by another witness,” Gutierrez said.
He added that the panel would also consider the difficulties involved in presenting Carpio as a hostile witness. If the same facts could be established through another witness, prosecutors would likely prefer that route, he said.
Gutierrez clarified that his remarks were made in his personal capacity and were not intended to preempt the decision of the prosecution panel.
No final decision has been announced on whether Carpio will be subpoenaed.
The financial declarations of Duterte and Carpio are being examined in connection with Article II of the impeachment complaint, which accuses the Vice President of unexplained wealth and false or incomplete SALNs.
The allegations remain subject to determination by the Senate impeachment court.
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