Barbers: SEC docs, property purchases to test VP Duterte’s SALNs

MANILA, Philippines — Corporate earnings and property acquisitions linked to Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, will be checked against Duterte’s statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN).

Former Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, House prosecution adviser and spokesperson, explained this in an interview on Sunday over the DZBB AM radio program “Bantay Balita sa Kongreso” with Nimfa Ravelo and Isa Avendaño-Umali.

That’s why, he said, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is among the government agencies whose records will figure in the evidence presentation for the second impeachment article, which accuses Duterte of unexplained wealth, inaccurate asset declarations, and continued business interests while holding public office.

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The prosecution has lined up an SEC official to authenticate corporate records connected to Duterte and Carpio, allowing senator-judges to compare those business interests with what Duterte declared in her SALNs.

Prosecutors are also preparing bank and tax records to determine whether her declared financial position matches other official records.

READ: Over 1,800 docs for marking for VP Duterte’s wealth scrutiny

According to Barbers, the review will not be confined to corporate holdings. Prosecutors will also examine whether major property purchases can be reconciled with the cash and other assets Duterte reported.

The prosecution intends to establish a financial baseline from Duterte’s years in public service and examine whether subsequent increases in her wealth can be supported by legitimate income, businesses, and other lawful sources, Barbers added. /atm