Marcos Allows Opening Of VP Duterte’s Tax Records

President Marcos has given the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) the go-ahead to submit and unseal the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio, documents seen to shed light on her alleged unexplained wealth and the supposed discrepancies in her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Palace press officer Claire Castro confirmed that Marcos had given the BIR the clearance to open the documents, a reversal of the administration’s previous stance that such directives should be issued by the Senate impeachment court.

“This is for the truth and he will not deprive our countrymen of the truth,” Castro said on Thursday, July 30.

The Senate impeachment court had approved the prosecution team’s request to subpoena the tax and bank records of Duterte and her husband, but the Vice President’s defense panel said Marcos’ approval is needed to open the documents.

If the BIR wants to comply with the subpoena, it must issue a recommendation for Marcos’ approval, defense spokesman Michael Poa told reporters last Wednesday, July 29.

Earlier this month, the Senate impeachment court approved the prosecution panel’s request to subpoena the tax and bank records of Duterte and her husband.

However, Sen. Panfilo Lacson had argued that the President’s permission was needed to unseal the documents. Section 71 of the tax code states that income tax returns “constitute public records and be open to inspection as such upon the order of the President of the Philippines, under rules and regulations to be presented by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the (BIR) Commissioner.”

In a previous media briefing, Castro said the Senate impeachment court has the authority to issue orders and subpoenas related to Duterte’s tax documents.

“But in our view, the impeachment court is really the one that issues orders and subpoenas considering that the President is an impeachable officer,” the Palace press officer said last July 21.

“For example, if the presidents of the next administrations are impeached and if the impeachment court orders the release of the BIR records, most likely, it won’t happen because the accused, the president, won’t agree,” Castro added.

Two days later, Castro said Marcos would “adhere to the proper processes.”

“If it was done before and if it was done during the previous impeachment trial, the President would follow the process,” she told reporters on July 23.

Asked to explain the President’s decision to allow the opening of the tax documents, Castro said the President complied with the law to uncover the truth about the issue.

Castro clarified that Marcos’ decision was not motivated by politics.

“The President knows that he follows the process, he follows the law. Even if others take a swipe at him or create a negative impression about him, he will not falter, as long as he is in line with the law and the processes,” she said.

BIR submits Duterte tax records

The BIR on Thursday submitted the tax records of Vice President Duterte and her husband to the Senate impeachment court after receiving authorization from President Marcos.

BIR representatives delivered the subpoenaed tax documents in a sealed red box to Senate Secretary and Impeachment Clerk of Court Renato Bantug Jr. on the deadline set by the court in its July 20 subpoena.

The submission from representatives of BDO Unibank and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. or Metrobank also turned over subpoenaed bank records related to Duterte to the impeachment court.

The court is likewise awaiting the submission of subpoenaed bank records and reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), which are also due on Thursday.

The Senate impeachment court’s Clerk of Court confirmed its receipt of the Vice President’s tax records.

Bantug said his office received two red boxes from BIR Commissioner Charlito Mendoza in compliance with the court’s subpoena on Duterte’s tax records.

“I would not have received it if there was no presidential authorization,” Bantug said in an ambush interview on Thursday.

The clerk of court has not yet unsealed and perused the contents of the two boxes, only to count the number of folders and documents inside.

Before the start of the trial, the court returned the “green BIR box” that the prosecution earlier wanted the Senate to mark as evidence. Now the BIR has officially given the court its box of documents bearing a different color.

Pursue meaningful reforms

A coalition composed of people’s organizations, labor groups, faith-based institutions, and various sectoral formations pushed President Marcos to act on the impeachment trial of the Vice President.

The group – dubbed as the People’s Assembly – also pointed out that the fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) lacked policy reforms with concrete solutions.

The People’s Assembly said the administration continues to fall short in delivering meaningful reforms, noting that several priority measures previously identified by the government – including the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, Party-list Reform, and the CADENA Bill – were left unmentioned during the President’s address.

“The Filipino people deserve more than grand speeches and embellished accomplishments. As the administration enters the second half of its term, what matters is whether promises translate into concrete action that improves people’s lives. The time for political theater is over – the time for accountability and genuine reform is now,” Tindig Pilipinas convenor Kiko Aquino Dee said. – With Mark Ernest Villeza, Josiah Antonio, Marc Jayson Cayabyab