Manila Bulletin
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Duterte impeachment trial: Banks, BIR turn over subpoenaed records
Philippines
National
Duterte impeachment trial: Banks, BIR turn over subpoenaed records
Duterte impeachment trial: Banks, BIR turn over subpoenaed records
By Dhel Nazario
Published Jul 30, 2026 05:30 pm
At A Glance
- Senate Secretary and Clerk of Court Renato Bantug said all subpoenaed banks, along with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, submitted the requested records to the Senate impeachment court, while some banks asked for an additional 10 days to provide older historical documents.
- Bantug said the court is currently conducting only a mechanical receipt and inventory of the voluminous records, stressing that officials have not yet reviewed or disclosed the contents while the submission process remains ongoing.
- The impeachment court said the documents will be released to the prosecution and defense only after the inventory is completed, with AMLC records to be turned over only after Presiding Officer Francis Escudero finishes an in-camera review, emphasizing that security and chain of custody take precedence over speed.
Senate Secretary and Clerk of Court Renato Bantug said on Thursday, July 30, that all banks served with subpoenas by the Senate Impeachment Court have submitted the documents requested in connection with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The Senate Impeachment Court, through the Office of the Clerk of Court, has been receiving documentary submissions since this morning, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in compliance with the subpoenas issued by the Court for the financial records of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte, her husband, Atty. Manases R. Carpio, and the twenty (20) entities identified in the subpoenas. (Senate PRIB photo)
Bantug said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was the first to comply at around 9 a.m., followed by BDO, Metrobank, PS Bank, Security Bank, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), and Land Bank throughout the day including submission from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
"All banks that were issued a subpoena duces tecum were able to submit the documents today," Bantug told reporters.
However, he disclosed that some banks requested an additional 10 days to produce the remaining subpoenaed documents, citing reasons contained in their compliance letters.
"I accepted what they were ready to submit this morning," Bantug said, adding that the requests for extension would be referred to the impeachment court for consideration on Monday.
Bantug declined to identify the banks that sought more time, saying the court had yet to act on their requests.
The submissions stem from subpoenas issued by the Senate impeachment court directing several banks, the BIR and the AMLC to produce financial and tax records relevant to the impeachment proceedings.
Asked whether the records covered the entire period sought by the court, Bantug said he had yet to examine the transmittal and compliance letters accompanying the submissions.
"I would assume at this point that they would respond to the period," he said.
Bantug stressed that Thursday's activity was limited to the physical receipt of the documents because of the sheer volume of records submitted.
The Clerk of Court's office required each institution to submit five USB drives containing electronic copies of the records, along with at least one printed copy.
Bantug said court personnel merely inspected the boxes to determine the number of folders and verify that the submissions matched the accompanying transmittal letters, without reviewing the contents.
"We cannot go yet into the contents; we cannot go yet into the details of the submission. Otherwise, baka abutin kami hanggang Sunday (We will finish by Sunday)," he said.
He also said the court has not yet determined whether any institution reported having no records related to the vice president, explaining that the submissions have not reached that level of review.
For bank submissions, Bantug said each institution attached an inventory listing the documents it had turned over.
The Senate official also confirmed that the BIR's compliance indicated that it had secured the necessary presidential authorization required for the release of income tax records.
"I would not have received it if there was no presidential authorization," Bantug said.
In a separate statement, the Office of the Clerk of Court said the office is also coordinating with banks that requested additional time to retrieve older documents requiring further processing.
"Because the inventory and submission processes are actively ongoing, the Impeachment Court cannot, and will not, go into the substantive details, amounts, or specific contents of the records at this time," it said.
The court also assured that strict safeguards are in place to protect the subpoenaed records, with access tightly controlled and the chain of custody fully documented.
According to the Clerk of Court, copies of the documents will only be released to the prosecution and defense after the inventory is completed. In the case of the AMLC records, distribution will take place only after Presiding Officer Francis Escudero completes his in-camera review.
"The Impeachment Court will not rush the chain of custody. Security and accuracy take precedence over speed," the statement said.