MANILA, Philippines – Duda ang Malakanyang na pipirma si Vice President Sara Duterte ng waiver na papayag sa pag-access sa kanyang financial records sa kabila ng paggiit ng legal team nito na wala itong itinatago.
Sinabi ni Palace press officer Claire Castro na hindi nito inaasahang boluntaryong iwi-waive ni Duterte ang confidentiality ng kanyang bank at iba pang financial records.
“Have we ever seen a Duterte sign a waiver? We might end up hitting each other with our microphones here,” sinabi ni Castro.
“I don’t think so. I don’t think she will do that.”
Ang pinatutungkulan niya ay ang insidente noong November 13, 2024 congressional probe sa drug war ng nakaraang administrasyon nang tangkang paluin ng mikropono ni Duterte si
dating Senador Antonio Trillanes IV nang hamunin ito ng dating mambabatas na pumirma ng bank secrecy waiver.
Ang pahayag ni Castro ay dalawang araw matapos na ipagpaliban ng Senate impeachment court ang desisyon nito kung ipasa-subpoena ang bank at tax records ni Duterte at asawa nitong si Atty. Manases Carpio.
“Confidentiality should not be the prevailing principle in these proceedings. The truth is not confidential,” giit ni House prosecution panel member, Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno.
Samantala, sinabi ni Atty. Michael Poa, defense spokesperson ni Duterte sa impeachment trial, na ang pag-utos sa Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) at Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) na ilantad ang mga rekord ng Bise Presidente ay magpipwersa sa mga opisyal ng pamahalaan na lumabag sa batas.
“Impeachment is not a magic word or a magic wand that one can just wave to transform an illegal act into a legal act, to transform unlawful access into lawful access,” ani Poa.
“[T]he prosecution has repeatedly invoked accountability. We agree with them. No one is above the law, but in the same manner, no one must fall below or be outside the protection of the law.”
Bilang tugon, sinabi ni Castro na ang pangunahing prinsipyo sa impeachment proceedings ay ang paghanap ng katotohanan.
“The real magic word is ‘truth.’ Truth is what must prevail in any investigation, especially in an impeachment trial,” sinabi ni Castro.
Dahil dito ay hinamon ni Castro si Duterte na patunayang wala itong itinatago.
“If they truly have nothing to fear, then she has an obligation to the Filipino people to show the truth,” sinabi ni Castro.
“It would be better for her to demonstrate that she has committed no wrongdoing and has nothing to hide regarding public funds.”
Hindi pa nakatatanggap si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ng anumang hiling na buksan ang selyadong berdeng kahon na naglalaman ng tax records ni Duterte at asawa nito sa prosekusyon, na magagamit para sa impeachment trial.
“But once the request is received, it will be studied, and we will see what action the President will take on the matter,” ani Castro.
Sa ilalim ng Section 71 ng National Internal Revenue Code ay nangangailangan ng pag-apruba ng Pangulo bago masuri ang isang tax document.
Ang commissioner ng BIR ang may kapangyarihan na gumawa ng naturang request. RNT/JGC
