MANILA, Philippines — The House Committee on Justice has shifted its impeachment inquiry into Vice President Sara Duterte toward a detailed forensic audit of her financial records. As of today’s hearing, April 22, 2026, the panel has secured crucial documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the Office of the Ombudsman, including her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) from 2022 to 2024.
The hearing is expected to feature high-profile testimony from former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a longtime critic of the Duterte family who has raised allegations regarding their supposed “ill-gotten wealth.”
A primary focus of today’s proceedings is a potential discrepancy between the Vice President’s sworn assets and official corporate filings.
- Gencorp Industries Inc.: Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon noted that while the VP listed an interest in Gencorp in her 2024 SALN, SEC records from 2021 to 2024 do not list her as a stockholder.
- Legal Implication: Ridon suggested this discrepancy could indicate perjury, as the documents offer conflicting accounts of her ownership. “We are waiting for the Vice President to explain why she placed that [in her SALN] when she is not listed among the stockholders of record,” Ridon said.
- Timesquare Bee Foods Corp.: Documents related to this second company mentioned in her SALN are also under review.
According to her 2024 SALN, the Vice President reported:
- Total Assets: ₱98.46 million (comprised of ₱66.80M in real property and ₱31.65M in personal property shared with her husband, Manases Carpio).
- Liabilities: ₱9.95 million (including an ₱8M bank loan and ₱1.95M in various credits).
- Net Worth: ₱88.51 million.
The panel has also summoned Eli Remolona Jr., chair of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), to present records of any flagged financial transactions.
- Carpio’s Petition: The VP’s husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, previously filed a petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to block the subpoena of his and his firm’s tax returns, citing the Data Privacy Act.
- Panel Response: Committee Chair Gerville Luistro stated that because the BIR has already complied and forwarded the tax records, Carpio’s petition is now “moot and academic.”
As the House panel moves toward its final hearing on probable cause—scheduled for April 29—the proceedings face significant legal opposition.
- Fourth Challenge: A group of lawyers filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court on Monday, arguing the hearings are a “fishing expedition” designed to cure “fatal defects” in the original impeachment complaints.
- Defense Argument: Petitioners claim the House is overstepping its constitutional role by searching for evidence rather than evaluating the complaints as initially filed. This joins three other similar petitions currently awaiting Supreme Court action.