A lawmaker said members of the House of Representatives may request subpoenas for financial documents of Vice President Sara Duterte as part of the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
Bicol Saro party-list Representative Brian Raymund Ridon said the House Committee on Justice may seek access to the Vice President’s income tax returns, bank records, and business registration documents to clarify what he described as a ₱50-million “wealth gap.”
Ridon explained that the committee plans to request several financial documents, including the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) of Duterte and her husband, as well as records of the businesses listed in her recent asset declarations.
According to the lawmaker, Duterte declared a net worth of about ₱7.25 million in 2007 when she was vice mayor of Davao City. By 2024, her declared net worth had increased to ₱88 million.
Ridon said estimates show that Duterte’s cumulative salary from government service between 2007 and 2024 could amount to around ₱30 million to ₱40 million, raising questions about the difference between her earnings and declared wealth.
He said the impeachment proceedings could provide the Vice President an opportunity to explain the difference, which he noted could also be attributed to income from law practice or business interests disclosed in her SALN.
Duterte’s legal team, however, said they would respond to the matter at the appropriate time.
The Vice President has previously denied allegations of unexplained wealth and challenged lawmakers to point out any questionable entries in her asset declarations.
Ridon also said the timeline of the impeachment proceedings will depend on whether Duterte submits her formal response to the House justice panel.
If she files her response, the determination of the sufficiency of the impeachment complaints and related hearings could begin on April 8. If she does not respond, the process could move forward sooner.
The Vice President earlier described the impeachment process as a “fishing expedition,” arguing that the requests for financial records suggest a lack of sufficient evidence against her.
