Duterte impeachment: Prosecutors to insist on opening VP tax records

MANILA, Philippines – The House prosecution panel will insist on opening Vice President Sara Duterte’s tax records, which are currently encased in a sealed box also known as the “Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) box,” during pretrial on Thursday, June 25, Rep. Terry Ridon said.

Ridon divulged the prosecution’s plans on the supposed last day of the pretrial after they submitted a manifestation on Wednesday seeking to have the box opened — a matter that the impeachment court will decide.

“I am quite certain that the prosecution panel will insist that the box be opened today, and if not, we will leave it to the court to decide,” he told the media.

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READ: House prosecutors: Open box of VP’s tax records

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If the impeachment court fails to decide by the end of the day, the prosecution will seek to mark the BIR box as evidence, Ridon said.

“Maybe the box will be marked itself,” he added.

In an interview, Senate Secretary and Impeachment Clerk of Court Renato Bantug said the court has yet to decide on the opening of the BIR box.

He added that the prosecution has not yet prompted the marking of the box itself. With this, Bantug refused to answer whether the box, while unsealed, could be marked. /mcm

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