Public interest lawyer and Bantay Senado co-convenor Dino de Leon said government documents, bank records and Vice President Sara Duterte’s own financial declarations provide strong evidence for her conviction in the impeachment trial over alleged unexplained wealth, undisclosed assets and prohibited business interests.
Speaking on “The Spokes” on Oct. 21, de Leon said the prosecution’s case rests on documentary evidence that the defense must address, including reports from government investigators, financial records and Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
“Ang maganda kasi doon sa mga cases involving Vice President Sara Duterte, hindi ito ’yung mga tinatawag nating laway lang ang puhunan,” de Leon said.
He cited Anti-Money Laundering Council reports, National Bureau of Investigation findings, Commission on Audit reports, bank records and financial documents submitted by Duterte herself.
“The pieces of evidence are very strong. It’s not just somebody claiming that they gave money to a person,” he said.
De Leon said the central question is how Duterte’s declared assets can be reconciled with the financial records presented during the trial, particularly her declarations of zero cash despite evidence of bank balances.
“Hindi ko talaga makompute kung bakit zero ’yung cash,” he said.
He also pointed to forensic expert Atty. Alexander Cabrera’s estimate of more than P800 million in alleged undeclared assets and unexplained wealth, saying the defense needs to explain the discrepancies underlying that computation.
De Leon defended Cabrera against challenges to his qualifications, citing his experience as a certified public accountant, lawyer and former head of a major auditing firm.
He said the defense should address the documents and calculations supporting Cabrera’s findings.
De Leon, a convener of Bantay Senado, said the group examined the evidence presented throughout the 38-day trial and found that the evidence against the Vice President is overwhelming and that only Duterte can answer the allegations.
“Yung Bantay Senado as a group only shifted its call to conviction when we’ve already seen the pieces of evidence,” he said.
Despite that position, de Leon said Duterte deserves an opportunity to answer the allegations and present evidence in her defense.
“I am willing and I look forward to changing my opinion if they will be able to rebut and show the evidence, given that the burden of evidence has already shifted in light of the strong pieces of evidence showing that the Vice President has unexplained and ill-gotten wealth” he said.
De Leon said the impeachment proceedings should ultimately establish whether the country’s highest officials can be held accountable for discrepancies in their financial disclosures and alleged violations committed while in office.
“Ultimately, the impeachment is about making sure that there’s going to be accountability for our highest officials,” he said. ||
