MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel has accused Vice President Sara Duterte of deliberately concealing financial assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), citing discrepancies between her declared wealth and financial records submitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

During a press briefing on Thursday, October 8, House prosecution adviser and spokesperson Rep. Robert Ace Barbers argued that the inconsistencies could not simply be dismissed as errors or omissions, particularly because some cash holdings allegedly remained undeclared for several consecutive years.

The allegations emerged following testimony from BIR official Atty. Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez before the Senate impeachment court, where tax returns and audited financial statements involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, were examined.

Reported income raises questions over increase in net worth

Based on records presented during the hearing, Duterte and Carpio reported a combined after-tax income of ₱85.34 million from 2007 to 2025.

Over the same period, Duterte's declared net worth rose from ₱7.25 million to ₱98.66 million, representing an increase of ₱91.41 million.

The prosecution pointed out that the increase exceeded the couple's combined reported after-tax income by approximately ₱6.06 million, even before accounting for living expenses and other expenditures.

Barbers maintained that the figures were drawn from financial documents filed by Duterte and Carpio themselves, rather than estimates prepared by the prosecution.

He argued that the difference warranted further scrutiny of the Vice President's declared assets and sources of wealth.

Millions in cash holdings flagged

The prosecution also questioned the absence of separately identified cash holdings in Duterte's SALNs despite substantial amounts appearing in the couple's audited financial statements.

According to the records cited by Barbers, the couple reported the following combined cash on hand and cash in banks:

Barbers said Duterte's SALNs for the corresponding years did not contain separate entries identifying cash on hand or bank deposits.

He argued that the repeated absence of these entries supported the prosecution's allegation that material financial information had been intentionally withheld.

The figures represent reported holdings for individual years and should not be added together as though they were separate amounts of accumulated wealth.

Prosecution alleges deliberate concealment

Barbers maintained that the alleged discrepancies went beyond an isolated reporting mistake because the same issue appeared in multiple annual declarations.

He argued that an omission in a single year might be considered an error, but the absence of separately declared cash holdings from 2022 through 2025 raised questions about whether the information had been intentionally concealed.

The prosecution also highlighted Garcia-Marquez's testimony confirming that Duterte and Carpio signed declarations acknowledging responsibility for the information contained in their 2025 tax returns and accompanying financial statements.

Barbers said the documents provided a basis for questioning whether the Vice President had fully and accurately disclosed her financial assets as required of public officials.

Defense disputes prosecution's interpretation

Duterte's defense has previously explained that the cash holdings were included under the category of “other personal properties” in her SALNs rather than listed separately.

Defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa earlier maintained that the absence of a specific cash entry did not necessarily mean the assets had been excluded from the declarations.

The prosecution, however, disputed that explanation, arguing that the values reported under the category did not sufficiently reconcile with the financial records presented during the impeachment proceedings.

The defense has also challenged the prosecution's interpretation of the financial evidence and raised objections concerning the disclosure of confidential tax records during the trial.

BIR witness to face further questioning

The disputed financial records form part of Article II of the impeachment complaint against Duterte, which involves allegations of unexplained wealth and irregularities in her asset declarations.

Garcia-Marquez is scheduled to return to the Senate impeachment court on Friday, October 9, for the continuation of her cross-examination by the defense panel.

The prosecution's assertions of deliberate concealment remain allegations subject to examination and resolution by the Senate impeachment court. No final determination of liability has been made on this issue.

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