QUEZON CITY—The Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 81 has dismissed a petition filed by Atty. Manases "Mans" Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, which sought to block the House of Representatives from accessing their income tax returns. 

In a five-page order dated May 6, 2026, Presiding Judge Madonna C. Echiverri denied the request for a preliminary injunction and junked the case for lack of jurisdiction. 

In her decision, Judge Echiverri clarified that the Regional Trial Court does not have the authority to restrain a co-equal branch of government like the House of Representatives. 

The court emphasized that the House Committee on Justice was acting within its constitutional mandate to investigate impeachment complaints, and any judicial review regarding "grave abuse of discretion" by such a body must be filed directly with the Supreme Court. 

“In the case at bench, the respondents are acting in the official capacity as part of the HCOJ, a co-equal branch of the government hence, the case at bench should have been filed with the Supreme Court.”

The dismissal comes at a critical time, just days before the House is scheduled to hold a plenary vote on the consolidated Articles of Impeachment on May 11. 

While the House panel previously voted to keep the tax records in a sealed box for the time being, lawmakers noted that this court victory reinforces their authority to handle such documents as public records in constitutional proceedings. 

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