Ace Barbers: Mans Carpio could provide 'vital information' in Sara Duterte impeachment trial - GMA Network

Lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, could provide “vital information” if he is called as a witness in the impeachment trial of his wife, House impeachment adviser Robert “Ace” Barbers said Sunday.

Barbers said Carpio could provide information relevant to the prosecution’s allegations because spouses are considered co-owners of their assets under the law.

“In my view, this could provide vital information to support our allegations, because under the law, spouses are considered co-owners of their assets and money,” Barbers told Super Radyo dzBB.

"Whatever assets Carpio has, the same are owned by Vice President Sara Duterte. Carpio cannot invoke the right against self-incrimination, so he may be called to testify. I believe this could provide additional information to support the allegations,” he added.

The Senate impeachment court will discuss Article 2 of Duterte’s impeachment complaint, which accuses her of amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties and interests in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), allegedly constituting a culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

Barbers said the prosecution has substantial evidence to present regarding Duterte’s SALN.

"That’s why we are saying that the next article will be more exciting because the prosecution will present a lot of evidence that will not match what she declared in her SALN,” he said.

The three witnesses are retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, Ombudsman Records Division Officer-in-Charge Atty. Karen Batu, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Company Registration and Monitoring Department Director Atty. Gerardo del Rosario.

"The testimonies of our witnesses are important because they would authenticate what happened in the financial records of our Vice President,” Barbers said.

“Generally, Cabotaje-Tang’s statement will discuss the provisions on integrity and public accountability among public servants,” he added.

Earlier this week, the Office of the City Prosecutor in Quezon City recommended the dismissal of the complaint filed by Carpio against several House members and government officials over the disclosure of his and the Vice President’s bank transaction records.

In a 23-page resolution, the QC Prosecutor’s Office said the acts of the respondents were done in relation to their offices and were “not inherently immoral.”

“The issuance of a subpoena for the production of AMLC reports, the manifestations made during the impeachment proceedings against the Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines, and the compliance with the subpoena—these acts were done by the respondents, public officers with Salary Grade 28 and higher, in relation to their office,” the resolution read.

“By no stretch of the imagination could we rule that these acts of the respondents were done in their private capacity,” it added.— MCG, GMA News