Politics · Philippines Bureau
VP's defense team sidestepped authenticity challenge, prosecution claims
House prosecutors say Vice President Sara Duterte's legal team failed to dispute the validity of financial records presented during impeachment proceedings, instead relying on bank secrecy arguments that the Senate court has largely dismissed.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — House prosecutors alleged over the weekend that Vice President Sara Duterte's defense counsel did not challenge the authenticity of critical financial documents during the ongoing impeachment trial, instead directing their objections toward bank confidentiality and privacy protections.
According to House prosecution legal spokesperson and private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa, the defense strategy centered on invoking banking secrecy laws rather than disputing whether the financial records were genuine or accurately presented as evidence.
The Senate impeachment court has previously rejected similar confidentiality-based objections raised by the defense, prosecutors noted. The decision to forgo authenticity challenges represents a significant evidentiary development in the trial, which centers on allegations against the Vice President.
The prosecution's assertion suggests the financial records may stand as unchallenged documentary evidence in the proceedings, potentially strengthening the House panel's case as the impeachment trial continues before the Senate.
The impeachment trial addresses multiple counts against Duterte, with the prosecution presenting financial documentation as key evidence supporting its allegations.