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NATIONAL
Nov 6, 2026
11:23 AM GMT+8
IMPEACHMENT RULINGS. The Senate impeachment court prepares to hear the charges against Vice President Sara Duterte in an undated photo. The court announced Friday (Nov. 6, 2026) that it had admitted bank, tax, corporate and property records in while excluding evidence related to withdrawn charges. (Screengrab from Senate livestream)
MANILA – The Senate impeachment court has admitted bank, tax, corporate and property records in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial but barred the use of evidence relating to withdrawn charges, setting the boundaries for the remaining unexplained wealth case ahead of the resumption of proceedings on Nov. 9.
In a statement Friday, court spokesperson lawyer Reginald Tongol said Presiding Officer Francis Escudero issued a 22-page order Thursday resolving the prosecution’s formal offer of documentary evidence under Article II.
The court rejected the defense’s general objection that subpoenaed documents constituted a “fishing expedition” or were inadmissible simply because they were not attached to the original impeachment complaint.
However, it limited the use of financial records dating from 2007 to 2021 to establishing Duterte’s financial position before assuming the vice presidency on June 30, 2022.
These records cannot be used to establish separate offenses allegedly committed before her current term, consistent with the Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutional limits of impeachment.
Among the admitted evidence were Duterte’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs), documents from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Securities and Exchange Commission and financial records from nine banks.
The court also admitted land titles involving properties in Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal, insurance and investment records and certifications concerning firearms registered to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
However, the court excluded all Commission on Audit disallowance records relating to confidential funds under the withdrawn Article I.
It also rejected corporate records and forensic computations involving JTC Group of Companies Philippines Inc. and Pikimong Pikimong Philippines Corporation, which were deemed unrelated to the remaining charge.
The court clarified that accepting documents into the official record does not automatically establish the truth of the prosecution’s allegations.
“Admitting a document into the record does not mean the Court has ruled that the Prosecution’s allegations or computations are true,” Tongol said.
He explained that the senator-judges would determine the weight of the admitted evidence and whether it sufficiently establishes the remaining impeachment charge.
To protect confidential information, the court also prohibited the online publication or unauthorized distribution of protected bank, tax, AMLC and personal records.
With the prosecution having rested its case, the court authorized the defense to adopt previously admitted exhibits without presenting the same documents again.
Gag rule enforced
In a separate order announced Friday, the impeachment court also enforced the sub judice restriction under Rule XVIII across all impeachment articles, including those previously withdrawn by the prosecution.
The ruling followed Senator-Judge Francis Pangilinan’s pending appeal for reconsideration of the Oct. 13 decision relaxing the rule, as well as Duterte’s Nov. 4 manifestation maintaining that she was not waiving its protection.
The court said the restriction would prevent parties from publicly debating the merits of withdrawn charges while proceedings continue on Article II.
All parties, lawyers and other covered individuals are prohibited from making public statements concerning the merits of the impeachment case or matters covered by the articles, subject to penalties under the court’s Aug. 26 guidelines.
The court’s ruling effectively restores the restriction’s application to withdrawn charges, which had previously been relaxed.
The impeachment trial will resume Monday (Nov. 9) at 10 a.m., with the defense scheduled to begin presenting evidence on Article II, the sole remaining charge involving allegations of unexplained wealth. (PNA Wilnard Bacelonia)
Nov 6, 2026
11:23 AM GMT+8
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