Chiz junks defense bid to block AMLC chief's testimony at Sara trial
MANILA, Philippines — Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero allowed the chief of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to testify on financial transactions involving Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio.
This was after the defense panel, through lawyer Mark Vinluan, had moved to exclude AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura as a witness, arguing that confidentiality rules under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) also apply to impeachment proceedings.
"Walang tinatago ang Bise Presidente, ngunit ang mga datos ay dapat dumaan sa tamang proseso ng pagberipika nang naaayon sa batas at hindi dapat ibalandra ang mga ito sa publiko sa pamamaraang mali, malisyoso at ang tanging layon ay pamumulitika lamang," Vinluan said at the proceedings on Monday, October 5.
(The vice president is hiding nothing, but the data must go through the proper verification process in accordance with the law and should not be paraded before the public in a manner that is improper, malicious and solely intended for political mudslinging.)
In rejecting the motion, Escudero said AMLA's confidentiality rules must be observed but do not make AMLC reports immune from compulsory processes.
"Compliance with a lawful order subject to proper safeguards does not constitute, to the mind of the court, such a breach," Escudero said.
The confidentiality provision is intended to prevent leaks and unauthorized disclosure of AMLC information, rather than prevent the council from carrying out its investigative and litigation functions, Escudero said.
He said the AMLC is not just a repository of information and must still be allowed to perform its duties.
Unexplained wealth arguments
The impeachment court is taking up Article II on Monday, which involves allegations of unexplained wealth and financial discrepancies involving the vice president.
Prosecution lawyer Mae Divinagracia said Buenaventura would testify that "billions worth of transactions passed through the accounts" of Duterte and Carpio.
In the prosecution's offer of testimony, Divinagracia said at least "P1.6 billion came in, at least P1.3 billion went out, and no record shows where it went."
The prosecution also alleged that Carpio "walked out of two banks with P41 million in cash in a single day."
It further claimed that money from China flowed into a food company linked to Carpio, where Duterte was named as an incorporator.
The prosecution's offer also includes a claim that a person allegedly linked to illegal drugs purchased checks worth about P14.88 million naming Duterte as beneficiary in 2011 and 2012.
The allegations form part of the prosecution's presentation under Article II and have yet to be ruled upon by the impeachment court.
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