Diokno: Numbers in Sara Duterte wealth probe ‘do not lie’
The figures concerning the alleged unexplained wealth of Vice President Sara Duterte “do not lie” and raise important questions about accountability and whether her actions constituted a betrayal of public trust, a lawmaker said.
Public prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno said Monday that the key takeaway from Article II of the impeachment trial was that the figures under scrutiny involved a public official entrusted with the responsibility to act in the best interest of the Filipino people.
“This case is not really about VP Sara Duterte as a person. To me, it's about the trust that the people reposed in her. The trust that was given to her by the Filipino people,” Diokno said.
“For me, it’s really not about her as a person, it’s about leadership—whether her governance and her accountability or fitness of a high-ranking official to continue serving the public,” he added.
Diokno made the statement after senator-judge Lito Lapid asked how the public should assess the extensive records and information gathered from institutions such as the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and a forensic expert.
Lapid sought to clarify what the prosecution wanted the public to focus on amid the numerous witnesses and documents presented during the proceedings.
Diokno explained that the public should understand that a “clean official has nothing to hide,” particularly when it comes to finances reflected in a Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
He said public officials could easily create an image of simplicity by eating at ordinary establishments while claiming to be transparent about their expenses.
In their case, the veteran lawyer said the documents and figures presented throughout the hearings were what mattered.
“Like what was mentioned by Atty. [Alexander Cabrera], what he looked at were the bank records, records that came from the AMLC, BIR records, SEC records and I believe that there is a saying of accountants that the numbers do not lie,” he said.
Diokno emphasized that the documents presented during the trial did not come solely from the prosecution, saying the records were obtained directly from banks where the Vice President maintained accounts.
The lawmaker reiterated that the proceedings were not about Duterte’s personal identity but how she exercised her duties as the country’s second-highest official.
“If you were given such power, especially if you were the Vice President, and it was found that you abused your position then there should be accountability,” he said.