Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said Friday that the House of Representatives may examine Vice President Sara Duterte’s bank records as part of the impeachment proceedings, as allegations of unexplained wealth and possible omissions in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) cannot be ignored.
The accusations raised in the fourth impeachment complaint against the Vice President were described by Ortega as “serious and disturbing,” noting claims that “certain bank accounts, properties and significant cash movements were allegedly not fully reflected in Duterte’s SALNs.”
These matters “must be reconciled with SALN disclosures,” particularly where, as alleged, “sworn accounts of large cash transfers” have been made, the lawmaker said.
Filed by Atty. Nathaniel G. Cabrera and endorsed by House Committee on Human Rights Chairman Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. of Manila and Ortega, the verified complaint was formally received at 6:34 p.m. Wednesday by House Secretary General Atty. Cheloy Garafil.
Like the three earlier impeachment complaints against the Vice President, it was transmitted to the Office of Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III.
In his complaint, Cabrera asked the House, through the appropriate committee, to issue subpoenas for bank records covering deposits, withdrawals, transfers and account activity from 2019 to 2025. He also sought coordination with agencies such as the Commission on Audit (COA), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The complaint further proposed commissioning an independent forensic accounting team to reconcile SALNs with bank and property records.
“To determine the existence and extent of unexplained wealth and SALN violations, I respectfully request that this Honorable House of Representatives, through the appropriate committee, take the following actions: issue subpoenas for bank records … for accounts held by Respondent, immediate family members, known associates and corporate entities plausibly connected to Respondent for the period 2019–2025; order preservation of vault inventories … pending forensic review; authorize coordination with COA, the BIR, the AMLC and other competent authorities …; and commission an independent forensic accounting team … to produce a detailed tracing report reconciling SALNs with bank and property records,” the complainant said.
Cabrera said these requests are grounded in the House’s constitutional investigatory powers in impeachment proceedings and in jurisprudence allowing bank secrecy to be pierced when necessary to investigate bribery, unexplained wealth or corruption.
According to the complaint, such conduct, “if established, constitutes betrayal of public trust, a culpable violation of constitutional duties to disclose, and may give rise to criminal liability under applicable statutes.”
Ortega underscored that the House has constitutional investigatory powers in impeachment proceedings and cited jurisprudence allowing bank secrecy to be lifted when public interest demands it.
On the scope of the inquiry, he said: “If public officials are required to disclose all assets and live modestly, then any material omission is a serious constitutional concern that the House cannot ignore.”
Rejecting claims that scrutiny of financial records amounts to harassment, Ortega added: “Oversight is not persecution. It is a constitutional duty.”
“The Constitution is not suspended because someone declares candidacy. If there is nothing to hide, transparency should not be feared,” he said.
The complaint accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, bribery and other high crimes.
At the core of the new filing are allegations that certain assets, bank accounts, cash holdings and property transactions were either omitted, understated or not fully reflected in her SALNs.
The unexplained wealth allegations are linked to broader claims of irregular confidential fund disbursements amounting to at least ₱612.5 million from December 2022 to the third quarter of 2023, covering both the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The complaint cites the rapid encashment of ₱125 million in December 2022 — allegedly liquidated within 11 days — and subsequent findings by the COA flagging irregularities.
COA later issued notices of suspension and disallowance covering ₱73.287 million in questioned expenditures.
It also points to allegedly fabricated or defective receipts, unverifiable payees and duplicated entries, as well as sworn affidavits describing the transport of large sums of cash in duffel bags.
Beyond the financial allegations, the complaint reiterates earlier accusations that Duterte publicly admitted to having “asked a person” to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez — an act the complaint describes as a subversion of constitutional order.
With four impeachment complaints now pending, the House must determine whether the allegations — particularly those involving SALN disclosures and unexplained wealth — meet the constitutional threshold for impeachment under Article XI of the 1987 Constitution.
Under the Constitution, the Vice President may be removed from office for culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust.