MANILA — House prosecutors have dropped three of the four impeachment articles against Vice President Sara Duterte, banking on allegations of unexplained wealth to secure her removal from office.
House lead prosecutor Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro announced the move Tuesday before the Senate impeachment court, saying the evidence presented under Article II was sufficient to stand on its own.
The prosecution will no longer pursue Article I, which covers confidential funds; Article III, involving bribery; and Article IV, concerning grave threats.
“Today, the prosecution respectfully manifests that it will no longer pursue three of them. It will stand on one, and that is Article II on unexplained wealth,” Luistro said.
She maintained that the evidence presented was substantial enough to justify Duterte’s removal for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.
Article II covers allegations of unexplained wealth, irregularities involving Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), and prohibited business interests.
To support the charge, prosecutors presented witnesses from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Securities and Exchange Commission, Land Registration Authority, Office of the Ombudsman, banks and insurance companies, along with a forensic accounting expert.
The evidence included financial records, tax documents and property records involving Duterte, her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, and companies linked to them.
Forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera testified that his conservative analysis identified approximately ₱818 million in allegedly unexplained wealth from 2022 to 2025.
Cabrera later said the amount could reach around ₱1.5 billion under a broader assessment that included additional financial discrepancies and assets excluded from his initial computation. He clarified, however, that the higher figure was only a possible estimate, not a revised final finding, and remained subject to applicable liabilities and taxes.
Luistro said concentrating on one impeachment article would streamline the proceedings and reduce the volume of evidence and arguments the Senate would need to examine. She added that about 32 previously listed witnesses would no longer be called.
The lead prosecutor also cited the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, in which prosecutors withdrew several articles while pursuing the remaining charges.
Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero took note of the prosecution’s announcement and sought the defense’s comments.
However, the impeachment court has yet to rule on the withdrawal of the three articles. Prosecutors must still formally offer their documentary evidence, which the defense may challenge before the court determines its admissibility.
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