The House justice committee deferred opening a sealed box containing tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio, presented by the Bureau of Internal Revenue during an impeachment hearing on April 22. In a 21-4 vote, members cited legal concerns under the National Internal Revenue Code prohibiting public disclosure outside executive sessions for legislative inquiries. BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza signed the taped box, which remains in the committee's custody.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) presented income tax returns and VAT payments from 2007 to 2025 for Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio, and linked businesses such as Metro City Chow Foods Corporation during the House justice committee's impeachment hearing. The committee deferred opening the sealed box, citing Section 270 of the National Internal Revenue Code, which penalizes unlawful disclosure of tax information except in executive sessions for legislative inquiries in aid of legislation.
Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong stated there is no exception for impeachment hearings like that in the bank secrecy law. Rep. Lordan Suan warned it could violate Carpio's data privacy rights as a private citizen. House senior deputy minority leader Leila de Lima countered that impeachment's constitutional duty supersedes ordinary statutes.
In a 21-4 vote, the committee set aside discussion but retained custody of the box, which BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza taped and signed. Mendoza noted even the Senate as impeachment court lacks basis to open it. Complainants' lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan said existing evidence from the Anti-Money Laundering Council's report on P6.7 billion in flagged bank transactions mismatched with Duterte's SALN declarations suffices.
Vice President Duterte responded that every cent of her wealth is legitimate, fully declared in her SALN, with bank accounts listed under 'others.' Her legal team, via lawyer Michael Poa, clarified this disclosure. The hearings continue until April 29 before a decision on plenary referral.
