MANILA — The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio is considering legal remedies after the Senate impeachment court ordered the issuance of subpoenas for bank records and documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), although it stressed that it would comply with the tribunal’s ruling while pursuing available legal options.
Defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said the legal team had anticipated the possibility that the impeachment court would grant the prosecution’s request for records involving Duterte-Carpio and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, and was prepared for such an outcome.
“We submit to the decision of the impeachment court of course, without prejudice to legal remedies available under the law,” Poa told reporters.
Poa said the defense believed it had strong legal grounds to oppose the subpoenas but had already factored in the likelihood that the court could approve the prosecution’s request.
“We’re ready naman, whatever happens, the possibility of this happening — it’s something that we also anticipated,” he said.
While admitting that the defense had hoped for a favorable ruling, Poa emphasized that the camp respects the impeachment court’s decision and is now evaluating its next legal steps, including a possible appeal before the Supreme Court.
“We’re not even sure if [a] motion for reconsideration [at the Senate impeachment court] is something that we’re allowed to do,” Poa said. “Everything is subject to judicial review, depending on the circumstances available.”
Asked whether the defense viewed as a partial victory the impeachment court’s decision to deny some of the prosecution’s requests while imposing safeguards on the handling of subpoenaed documents, Poa maintained that the requests remained overly broad.
“I think it’s something that we really have to look into and see if we want to avail of remedies,” he said.
The Vice President has a pending petition before the Supreme Court seeking to nullify the Articles of Impeachment. Separately, another petition filed by a lawyer allied with Duterte seeks to stop the impeachment proceedings.
Poa also said he does not expect the Senate impeachment court to conduct another round of oral arguments on access to the subpoenaed documents in the succeeding hearings.
Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio faces an impeachment trial at the Senate based on the following allegations:
* Article I – Alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President, or P500 million, and the Department of Education, or DepEd, amounting to P112.5 million.
* Article II – Alleged unexplained wealth, failure to truthfully disclose assets in Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, or SALNs, from 2022 to 2024, and failure to divest and willful continued business interests
* Article III – Alleged bribery and procurement irregularities involving DepEd officials
* Article IV – Alleged assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Under the Constitution, conviction requires the vote of at least two-thirds of all senator-judges.
If convicted, Duterte-Carpio faces possible removal from office and perpetual disqualification from holding any public office.
The impeachment trial commenced on July 6./PN
