Defense mum as Marcos OKs opening of VP’s tax records

MANILA, Philippines — The defense team was tight-lipped after President Marcos authorized the opening of the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio.

“No comment,” defense spokesperson Michael Poa said yesterday.

Malacañang confirmed that Marcos has approved the recommendation of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) after the Senate impeachment court on Monday granted the prosecution’s request for a subpoena on the tax and bank documents of Duterte and Carpio.

However, Poa said the Duterte camp is looking at legal remedies, including questioning the legality of the process before the Supreme Court.

“I’ll let you know once there is an update on that,” Poa added.

During oral arguments before the impeachment court, Poa maintained that the prosecution is engaging in a “fishing expedition” with its insistence to open the sealed BIR box containing the tax records of Duterte and her husband.

House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno contended that it is within the power of the impeachment court to look into Duterte’s financial records.

Diokno related how the Senate, during the impeachment trial of then chief justice Renato Corona in 2011, issued a subpoena on his bank records and allowed them to be entered as evidence.

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