Camille Naredo

The Senate of the Philippines, sitting as an impeachment court, listens to the oral arguments presented by the House prosecution panel—led by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno—on the issuance of a subpoena to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to open a box containing the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte, during the sixth day of the impeachment proceedings on July 15, 2026.

The Senate of the Philippines, sitting as an impeachment court, listens to the oral arguments presented by the House prosecution panel—led by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno—on the issuance of a subpoena to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to open a box containing the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte, during the sixth day of the impeachment proceedings on July 15, 2026.   Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP Sara Impeachment

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784130516341747778400_1759448015055108_274484458852890448_n.png.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator-judge Pia Cayetano came to the defense of her brother, Senator-judge Alan Peter, as they open up about the the National Bureau of Investigation&#x27;s (NBI) probe into the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, where he served as chairman of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC). Pia questioned the timing of the investigation, saying it appears to be an attempt to intimidate a senator-judge while the Senate is conducting the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Senate of the Philippines/YouTube</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Heated statements and allegations of intimidation attempts opened the sixth day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with senator-judges&#x27; speeches offering a sharp contrast to oral arguments by the defense and prosecution — the item actually on the day&#x27;s agenda.</p><p>Sens. Robinhood Padilla, Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano spent the first half hour of the trial day to raise the alarm on a National Bureau of Investigation probe into alleged anomalies in infrastructure projects for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, including the sports complex in New Clark City, Tarlac. </p><p>NBI Director Melvin Matibag did not mention anyone <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/7/14/nbi-launches-probe-into-alleged-irregularities-in-2019-sea-games-infrastructure-projects-2232">when he mentioned the investigation on Tuesday</a>, but Alan Peter Cayetano — chair of the organizing committee for the games — called the announcement &quot;unfair to me and unfair to the court.&quot;</p><p>He wondered aloud whether Matibag made the announcement to keep him from asking tough questions when the NBI director testifies before the court next week.</p><p>Padilla, the first to speak, had likened the NBI probe to plunder cases filed against Sens. <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/10/sandiganbayan-affirms-denial-of-estrada-s-bid-to-quash-graft-charge-dismiss-proceedings-1935">Jinggoy Estrada </a>and <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/6/marcoleta-arrest-plunder-1023">Rodante Marcoleta</a>, which the Senate&#x27;s minority bloc say are attempts to whittle down the minority and to control the chamber, the impeachment, and the probe into flood-control hearings.</p><p>Another senator, <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/16/pnp-hopeful-of-dela-rosa-s-surrender-after-turnover-of-firearms-1524">Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa</a>, is in hiding from an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/marcoleta-brought-to-new-quezon-city-jail-as-sandiganbayan-ordered-1443">DILG: No special treatment for Marcoleta at New Quezon City Jail</a></div><p>&quot;I am bothered. There&#x27;s no jurisdiction in the world that allows a judge to be pressured and intimidated. I ask each one of you my dear colleagues, payag ba tayo sa ganito? Ganito na ba tayo dito ngayon (Will we allow this? Is this how we are now)?&quot; Pia Cayetano said before asking to have Matibag&#x27;s video played in court.</p><p>Presiding officer Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero granted the motion “in order for us to move on” to the oral arguments.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/heated-discussions-on-matibag-bir-subpoena-spill-over-into-impeachment-trial-breaks-2045">Heated discussions on Matibag, BIR subpoena spill over into impeachment trial break<br/></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PROSECUTION RAISES EXCEPTION TO BANK SECRECY</strong></div><p>The actual task for the impeachment court on Wednesday was to hear oral arguments on whether to subpoena the financial records and Anti-Money Laundering Council documents related to Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio.</p><p>Akbayan Party-List Rep. Jose Manuel &quot;Chel&quot; Diokno, one of the House prosecutors, said getting access to the bank, tax and AMLC records would shed light on the allegation that Duterte has wealth beyond what her salary as a government official would justify — one of the allegations in the Articles of Impeachment against the vice president.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/diokno-duterte-bank-tax-records-impeachment-trial-1516">&#x27;Truth is not confidential&#x27;: Prosecution says VP Sara&#x27;s bank, tax records relevant to impeachment trial<br/></a></div><p>He said issuing subpoenas for the records would let the impeachment court appreciate &quot;the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and make its decisions based on that.&quot;</p><p>He said that impeachment proceedings are an exception to bank secrecy and confidentiality laws, adding &quot;confidentiality, your honors, should not be the prevailing principle in this proceeding.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DEFENSE WARNS AGAINST &#x27;FISHING EXPEDITION&#x27;</strong></div><p>The defense, represented by Atty. Michael Poa, acknowledged that the impeachment court has the power to subpoena the records but argued it shouldn&#x27;t because it would be used in what he called a fishing expedition.</p><p>&quot;When a subpoena becomes oppressive, when it is unreasonable and when it is merely issued for the very purpose that there is a hope that somewhere, somehow, something incriminating will come out, it ceases to be an instrument of justice,&quot; he said.</p><p>Duterte and her lawyers have said since House hearings on impeachment complaints against her that there is no evidence and that those proceedings were used to look for damaging information against her.</p><p>He added the exception to bank secrecy laws &quot;does not dispense with constitutional safeguards, it does not abolish the right to due process.&quot;</p><p>He also pointed out that the prosecution wants to subpoena financial records from before she was elected vice president, when she was not an impeachable official.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/defense-says-subpoena-for-duterte-bank-tax-records-a-weapon-of-fishing-expedition-1531">Defense says subpoena for Duterte bank, tax records a &#x27;weapon of fishing expedition&#x27;</a></div><p>Before the impeachment court went on recess so senators could hold a caucus, Escudero said he wanted it put in the record that he was commending Diokno and Poa for their &quot;calm, gentlemanly and respectful&quot; debate on a controversial topic. </p><p>He added: &quot;Inaasahan ko na &#x27;yan din ang magaganap sa caucus matapos nito.&quot;</p><p>(I am hopeful that that is also how the senators&#x27; caucus after this will be.)</p><p>The senators later returned from the caucus to say they would <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/senate-duterte-bank-tax-records-impeachment-trial-1706">decide on the subpoenas on Monday</a>, pushing all action — including a potential confrontation between Matibag and the Cayetanos — to next week.</p><p>The prosecution has withdrawn all its other witnesses for the article of impeachment on Duterte&#x27;s alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his relatives, leaving Matibag the last witness for that item.</p><p>He is expected to testify next Tuesday.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/senate-impeach-court-bars-prosecution-defense-from-remarks-on-withdrawing-witnesses-1930">Senate impeach court bars prosecution, defense from remarks on withdrawing witnesses</a></div><div><br/></div><div><em>The trial resumes at 2 p.m. on Monday, July 20.</em></div><div> </div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gF9vHpHlr_A?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Heated statements and allegations of intimidation attempts opened the sixth day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with senator-judges' speeches offering a sharp contrast to oral arguments by the defense and prosecution — the item actually on the day's agenda.</p>

Heated statements and allegations of intimidation attempts opened the sixth day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with senator-judges' speeches offering a sharp contrast to oral arguments by the defense and prosecution — the item actually on the day's agenda.

WRAP: Speeches slamming SEA Games probe nearly upstage oral arguments

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WRAP: Speeches slamming SEA Games probe nearly upstage oral arguments

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Published July 16, 2026 12:16 AM PHT

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Sara Duterte

Impeachment trial

Alan Peter Cayetano

Pia Cayetano

Robinhood Padilla

Chel Diokno

Michael Poa

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