MANILA – The House prosecution panel welcomed the Senate impeachment court’s decision granting its requests to subpoena the financial and tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte, describing the ruling as a victory for truth, accountability, and the impeachment process.

The impeachment court earlier granted subpoenas covering peso-denominated bank accounts as well as Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) records involving the Vice President, her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, and their businesses.

House prosecutor and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said the ruling would help pave the way for the production of documents sought by the prosecution.

“Ito ay tagumpay ng katotohanan, tagumpay ito ng pananagutan,” De Lima declared during a press briefing.

“This is really a very good day for the prosecution because of the grant. Wala nang makakahadlang sa paghanap ng katotohanan, sa pag-produce ng mga subpoenaed records na ’yan from the AMLC, from the banks and banking institutions, and from the BIR,” she added.

De Lima also said the decision affirmed the constitutional powers of the impeachment court.

“Tagumpay din ito ng impeachment court because we are seeing here na the impeachment court is upholding its constitutional authority,” she said.

She added that the ruling recognized that the confidentiality provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code and the Anti-Money Laundering Act are not absolute and cannot supersede the constitutional authority of the impeachment court.

House prosecutors’ legal spokesperson and counsel Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. said the court found that the prosecution had met the legal requirements for the issuance of the subpoenas.

“We’re pleased that the impeachment court, through the presiding officer, granted our twin motions for issuance of subpoena for the submission of the BIR documents, AMLC records, and the bank records of the Vice President and her husband and their financial interest,” Tolosa said.

Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V described the ruling as “a big win,” saying it would allow the public to see the financial records covered by the subpoenas.

“Malaking panalo ito na makita rin ng tao lahat ng mga bank records at na-allow ito ng impeachment court,” Ortega said.

He also echoed House prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno’s statement during the oral arguments.

“Napakaganda po nung sinabi ni Congressman Chel Diokno na walang confidential sa katotohanan,” Ortega said.

Deputy Speaker and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, meanwhile, stressed that the ruling was not yet a decision on the impeachment complaint itself but merely an order directing the production of documents.

“Ulitin lang po natin, ang nangyari po ay hindi hatol, kundi isang pagtugon ng impeachment court… na isubpoena o ipadala ang mga dokumento related sa tax records and financial transactions,” Garin said.

The impeachment court granted the requests for the bank and AMLC records, except those involving foreign currency-denominated accounts and records related to JTC Group of Companies and Pikimong Pikimong Philippines Corporation.

It also approved the subpoena for BIR records, subject to the conditions provided under Section 71 of the National Internal Revenue Code.

Under the ruling, the concerned institutions were directed to submit the requested records directly to the Senate impeachment court’s presiding officer by July 30.