House Justice Committee to Review VP Duterte and Atty. Carpio's Income Tax Returns
The House Committee on Justice is set to proceed with a hearing to review the income tax returns of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio. This follows confirmation from the committee that the Bureau of Internal Revenue has already submitted the requested documents, effectively making a prior court petition filed by Carpio moot.
Court Petition Rendered Moot by BIR Submission
According to Justice Committee Chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro, the petition submitted by Carpio to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on April 13 has lost its relevance. The petition aimed to prevent the committee from obtaining and publicly disclosing their ITRs. Luistro stated that with the BIR's submission, the legal challenge is now considered moot, allowing the committee to move forward with its review.
Carpio had previously contested a subpoena issued by the committee against BIR Commissioner Charlie Mendoza, which mandated the submission of tax documents related to the couple and their businesses. He argued that this action violated the Data Privacy Act and was excessively overreaching, especially since Duterte's term only began on June 30, 2022.
Upcoming Hearing and Document Presentation
The ITRs are scheduled to be formally presented during the committee hearing on April 22. Luistro also anticipates discussing with the BIR the limitations regarding the confidentiality of these documents. This hearing marks a significant step in the committee's investigation into the financial affairs of the Vice President and her spouse.
Focus on Anti-Money Laundering Council Reports
In a related development, Luistro clarified that the committee has specifically called for reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council for a separate hearing scheduled for Wednesday. This hearing will address allegations of unexplained wealth against Vice President Duterte. The requested documents include covered transactions, which involve amounts of P500,000 or more, as well as suspicious transactions that banks are required to report to the AMLC regardless of the amount.
This comprehensive review underscores the ongoing scrutiny of public officials' financial disclosures and highlights the legal and procedural steps involved in such investigations.
