Ridon: Sara, Carpio financial records next in impeachment trial

Financial records involving Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, are set to take center stage when her impeachment trial resumes Monday, with the House prosecution panel expected to call officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), banks, insurance companies and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

House prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon said Saturday the prosecution’s presentation will begin with Anti-Money Laundering Council Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, who is expected to explain transactions involving Duterte, Carpio and companies linked to them.

“Una, isasalang po finally yung AMLC executive director patungkol dun sa transactions ng mag-asawang Duterte-Carpio at mga kumpanya nila,” Ridon said during a news forum in Quezon City.

The AMLC chief was initially scheduled to appear earlier this week but his testimony was moved to Monday after the defense sought additional time to study the financial documents and summaries submitted to the impeachment court.

The AMLC earlier reported about P6.7 billion in covered and suspicious transactions associated with Duterte and Carpio during the period examined in the House impeachment proceedings.

About P3.77 billion was attributed to Duterte and P2.99 billion to Carpio, according to AMLC records presented during the House inquiry. The records also showed about P4.4 billion in inflows and P1.5 billion in outflows, with another P791 million in transactions whose direction could not be determined from the available records.

The aggregate figure, however, does not mean the couple maintained P6.7 billion in their accounts at any one time. It represents the total value of transactions recorded over the period covered by the AMLC reports.

Ridon said the prosecution expects the AMLC testimony—including questioning by defense lawyers and senator-judges—to be completed on Monday. Bank and insurance representatives could follow if the proceedings allow.

“Pangalawa at pangatlo, ang mga banko at insurance firms na merong accounts ‘yung mag-asawang Duterte-Carpio,” Ridon said.

A BIR representative is expected to testify last and present the couple’s tax records.

“At panghuli ang BIR para makita po natin ang income net of taxes ng mag-asawang Duterte-Carpio para magkaroon po tayo ng the most complete picture nung supposedly kayamanan ng ating pangalawang pangulo at ng kanyang asawa,” Ridon said.

Gracioso affidavit not yet part of case

Meanwhile, Ridon said the House prosecution panel has yet to discuss whether to use the affidavit of dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. in the impeachment proceedings.

“At the moment, wala pong pag-uusap kung ma-incorporate po ’yung Gracioso affidavit,” Ridon said.

Gracioso, a former security aide of then House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, has alleged that he delivered suitcases containing cash to members of the Duterte family on Velasco’s instructions.

Duterte has denied knowing Gracioso or receiving money from him, while Velasco’s camp has also denied the allegations.

Gracioso underwent a second polygraph examination at the National Bureau of Investigation on 30 September, this time involving questions drawn from his affidavit.

Ridon said the examination would not, by itself, resolve questions surrounding the former police officer’s claims.

“I understand nagkaroon na siya ng polygraph test, pero hindi lang naman polygraph test ’yung batayan para magkaroon po ng determination ng full vetting ng testimonya ho niya,” he said.

The NBI has said it continues to verify Gracioso’s allegations and authenticate the evidence he submitted.

For now, Ridon said, the prosecution’s focus remains on the financial records already covered by the impeachment court’s subpoenas.

The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to hold whole-day hearings next week.