Senate blocks prosecution bid to use Duterte bank records as evidence

MANILA – The impeachment court presided over by Senator Francis Escudero on Tuesday denied the prosecution's motion to admit the Vice President's financial documents into evidence, upholding constitutional safeguards against self-incrimination during the high court trial.

The House prosecution panel had filed a request for admission of the bank records on September 8 as part of its case against Duterte. However, Escudero's ruling determined that the right against self-incrimination, a fundamental constitutional protection, extends to impeachment proceedings and cannot be circumvented through the admission of such financial evidence.

The decision marks a significant setback for prosecutors in their efforts to build their case against the Vice President. Tuesday's proceedings represent the 31st day of trial, with the impeachment court continuing to address procedural and evidentiary matters as the case unfolds.

The ruling underscores the complex intersection between impeachment law and constitutional rights in the Philippines, with the court maintaining that fundamental protections remain intact regardless of the forum in which they are invoked. The prosecution may pursue alternative avenues of evidence to support its case as the trial continues.