Marilyn Cahatol

The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, confers with members of the defense and the prosecution panel on the merits of issuing a subpoena to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to produce the tax records of Vice President Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, at the Philippine Senate on July 20, 2026. The impeachment trial entered its 7th day with the prosecution team requesting the issuance of a subpoena for VP Duterte’s tax records, which according to prosecutors are relevant to the 2nd Article of Impeachment focusing on the Vice President’s unexplained wealth. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP Sara Impeachment

Johnson Manabat

ABS-CBN News

<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/178454855756220260720-vp-sara-impeachment-day7-MT-1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, confers with members of the defense and the prosecution panel on the merits of issuing a subpoena to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to produce the tax records of Vice President Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, at the Philippine Senate on July 20, 2026. The impeachment trial entered its 7th day with the prosecution team requesting the issuance of a subpoena for VP Duterte’s tax records, which according to prosecutors are relevant to the 2nd Article of Impeachment focusing on the Vice President’s unexplained wealth. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, confers with members of the defense and the prosecution panel on the merits of issuing a subpoena to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to produce the tax records of Vice President Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, at the Philippine Senate on July 20, 2026. The impeachment trial entered its 7th day with the prosecution team requesting the issuance of a subpoena for VP Duterte’s tax records, which according to prosecutors are relevant to the 2nd Article of Impeachment focusing on the Vice President’s unexplained wealth. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte said it does not consider the impeachment court&#x27;s <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/impeachment-court-subpoenas-duterte-bank-records-1730">decision to subpoena bank and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) documents </a>related to the vice president a setback.</p><p>Defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said the team had anticipated that the court might grant the prosecution&#x27;s request to subpoena documents related to Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio.</p><p>“We submit to the decision of the impeachment court of course, without prejudice to legal remedies available under the law,” Poa told reporters.</p><p>He said that the defense had strong grounds to oppose the issuance of the subpoenas “but as to [it being a] setback, we’re ready naman, whatever happens, the possibility of this happening — it&#x27;s something that we also anticipated”. P</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/defense-counsel-we-are-not-afraid-of-subpoenaed-documents-1754">Defense counsel: We are not afraid of subpoenaed documents</a></div><p>Poa admitted that the defense had hoped for a favorable ruling but said the team respects and accepts the court&#x27;s decision.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>POSSIBLE LEGAL REMEDIES </strong> </div><p>Poa said the option of going to the Supreme Court &quot;is always available&quot; but that the defense team has yet to discuss that with the vice president.</p><p>“We’re not even sure if [a] motion for reconsideration [at the Senate impeachment court] is something that we&#x27;re allowed to do,&quot; he said, adding &quot;everything is subject to judicial review, depending on the circumstances available.”</p><p>Asked whether the defense considers it a &quot;small win&quot; that the impeachment court denied some of the prosecution&#x27;s requests and imposed safeguards on the subpoenaed documents, Poa said the defense still believes the requests were overly broad.</p><p>“I think it&#x27;s something that we really have to look into and see if we want to avail of remedies,” he said.</p><p>A lawyer allied with Duterte already <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/supreme-court-asked-to-stop-impeachment-trial-over-legality-of-rules-presiding-officer-1618">has a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to stop proceedings</a>. The vice president also has a petition asking the SC to void the Articles of Impeachment against her.</p><p>Poa also said he does not expect another round of oral arguments in the upcoming hearings regarding access to the documents that will be subpoenaed by the impeachment court.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/full-text-impeachment-court-s-bir-amlc-subpoenas-for-duterte-financial-records-1854">FULL TEXT: Impeachment court subpoenas BIR, AMLC for Duterte financial records</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QXC6xin-A78?si=xjIljMjxDXaEEvn7" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte does not consider the impeachment court's decision to subpoena several bank and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) documents related to the Vice President as a setback.</p>

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte does not consider the impeachment court's decision to subpoena several bank and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) documents related to the Vice President as a setback.

Impeachment court subpoena for Duterte's documents not a setback — defense

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Impeachment court subpoena for Duterte's documents not a setback — defense

Johnson Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 20, 2026 08:18 PM PHT

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