Impeachment court allows AMLC exec to testify despite defense objection

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate impeachment court on Monday denied the motion of Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team to exclude as a witness an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) official expected to testify about Duterte’s alleged suspicious transactions flagged by the agency.

Presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero made the ruling after defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan asked to defer the testimony of AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, citing laws that protect the confidentiality of financial records.

“Section 2 of Republic Act No. 1405… separately and expressly permits inquiry into bank deposits in cases of impeachment. While this exception does not by itself dispose of the distinct confidentiality imposed on AMLC info, it confirms the policy that bank secrecy is not an absolute bar to the constitutional accountability process,” Escudero began.

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He continued:  “The AMLC witness may therefore identify, authenticate and explain the reports specified in the subpoena… The motion to exclude is denied without prejudice to the counsel for respondents making any objections in the course of the testimony of Atty. Ronel of the AMLC.” 

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READ: VP Trial Day 33: AMLC exec to testify on Duterte’s financial records

According to counsel for the prosecution Atty. Mae Divinagracia’s offer of testimony, Buenaventura is anticipated to prove the following:

• Billions of transactions supposedly passed through the bank accounts of Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio,
• An alleged P1.6 billion went into the couple’s account, and P1.3 billion went out with no records of how they were used,
• P4.4 billion worth of transactions reportedly could not be traced by banks after corrections,
• Carpio deposited P41 million in cash from two banks in one day,
• Checks for Duterte were bought by an individual supposedly linked to illegal drugs,
• Banks and insurance firms repeatedly flagged the couple
• Money from China was supposedly put into Carpio’s food manufacturing company; and 
• From 2022 to 2025, almost P4.5 billion went in and out of the couple’s 15 business interests