PASAY CITY—Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero ordered the immediate return of a sealed box containing Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax records today, ruling their presence in the Senate legally unauthorized. 

Although the House of Representatives bundled the tax files with the transmitted Articles of Impeachment, Escudero clarified that the Senate never issued a formal subpoena or lawful order to compel the BIR to surrender the highly sensitive documents.

Because the prosecution panel has not yet formally marked or offered the tax records as evidence, the presiding officer emphasized that the chamber cannot legally hold onto them. 

Escudero quickly drew a hard boundary to protect procedural integrity, ensuring that the trial follows strict judicial protocols rather than relying on unauthorized document transfers.

"The chair orders that the BIR box closed sealed as it is received and be sent back to the BIR without prejudice to any action that the court may take if a motion will be filed by either party for the issuance of a subpoena and we shall await action if any by the BIR commissioner should that time come," Escudero said.

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