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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Prosecutors determined to have BIR box opened, contents marked as evidence in VP Sara trial

Prosecutors determined to have BIR box opened, contents marked as evidence in VP Sara trial

Published Jun 25, 2026 11:22 am

At A Glance

  • House prosecutors insist on opening the BIR box during the June 25 pre-trial conference, arguing its tax records tied to Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband, and their firms are crucial to proving the unexplained wealth article.
  • They stress that examining the box is only an inventory step, not automatic admission of evidence.
  • Prosecutors highlight that unexplained wealth cannot be addressed without tracing the origins, growth, and declarations of assets and income, while questioning why anyone would fear simply knowing what is inside the box.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (left), Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (left), Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


House prosecutors expect Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team to do all it can to block their move to have the box from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to be opened during the pre-trial conference at the Senate.
But this won't stop them from pursuing this, as they believe box containing tax records linked to Vice President Duterte, her husband lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, and their firms are essential to the lady official's upcoming Senate impeachment trial.
“Malamang tututol ang depensa sa pagbubukas ng BIR box dahil sinabi na nila kanina na hindi sila papayag,” said solon-prosecutor Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.
(The defense will likely oppose the opening of the BIR box because they already said earlier that they will not allow it.)
The matter is expected to be discussed at length on the fifth day of pre-trial conference (PTC) at the Senate Thursday, June 25. So far, nearly all PTC days have been marathon sessions for both the prosecution and defense, mainly because they have marking and signing thousands of pages of evidence.
The prosecution panel has maintained that the contents of the BIR box may help establish whether Duterte’s declared assets, liabilities, net worth and income declarations are consistent with the records relevant to the unexplained wealth article.
“Hindi puwedeng pag-usapan ang unexplained wealth nang hindi tinitingnan kung saan nagsimula, paano lumago at paano nadeclare ang assets at income na pinag-uusapan,” Ridon said.
(You cannot discuss unexplained wealth without looking at where it began, how it grew, and how the assets and income in question were declared.)
House prosecution legal spokesperson lawyer Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. said the request to open the box is consistent with the purpose of pre-trial, which is to identify evidence, mark exhibits and narrow the matters that will be presented once the impeachment trial begins.
“If the defense has an objection, then they can put that objection on record and the impeachment court can rule on it,” Tolosa said.
Ridon said the prosecution is prepared to move immediately after the defense objects so the issue can be brought to the impeachment court without delaying the July 6 trial schedule.
“Kung mag-o-object sila, ilalagay natin sa record at hihilingin natin na maresolba ito sa lalong madaling panahon dahil hindi dapat maantala ang paglilitis,” Ridon said.
(If they object, we will put it on record and ask that it be resolved as soon as possible because the trial should not be delayed.)
A plea to open the BIR box was contained in a Manifestation with Proposal on Certain Additional Pre-Trial Matters filed by the prosecution panel as part of ongoing preparations for the impeachment trial.
Vice President Duterte's conviction via impeachment trial is being sought over her offices' alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds; untruthful declarations in the filing of her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth; unexplained wealth; and death threats to President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.
What is there to fear?
Another spokesperson for the prosecutors, Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, wondered why anybody would fear opening the BIR box.
“The real question is not why the prosecution wants the box opened. The real question is: if the box is already in the custody of the impeachment court, why should anyone be afraid of knowing what is inside it?” he asked.
Adiong stressed that the proposal does not ask the court to automatically admit any document as evidence.
“Napakalinaw ng aming hinihingi. Hindi namin sinasabing tanggapin agad bilang ebidensya ang laman ng kahon. Hindi namin sinasabing paniwalaan agad ang laman nito. Ang sinasabi lang namin: buksan natin at alamin kung ano ang nasa loob,” he said.
(Our request is very clear. We are not saying that the contents of the box should immediately be accepted as evidence. We are not saying that its contents should immediately be believed. What we are simply saying is: let us open it and find out what is inside.)
“Magkaibang-magkaiba ang dalawang bagay na iyan. Inventory pa lang ang pinag-uusapan, may ilan nang gustong mag-panic,” added Adiong, who took a jab at critics.
(Those are two very different things. We are only talking about inventory, yet some are already starting to panic.)

Related Tags

Terry Ridon Zia Alonto Adiong Impeachment Sara Duterte SALN BIR Pre-trial conference
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