Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero
MANILA, Philippines — The issuance of the subpoena for the tax records of the vice president is “the order that will set things in motion” but does not guarantee that it will be complied with, disclosed, or inspected in the Senate sitting as an impeachment court against Vice President Sara Duterte, presiding officer Chiz Escudero said Monday.
Reading the court’s ruling on the prosecution panel’s subpoena request directed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza, Escudero said “The issuance of a subpoena is merely a preliminary procedural step and does not, by itself, authorize the disclosure, inspection, or admission of the requested tax records into evidence.”
Escudero cited the Supreme Court decision on Dipad v. Spouses Olivan stating that Section 270 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), which the defense team previously invoked, “does not address the confidentiality of [Income Tax Return]s.”
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