Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer and Senator-Judge Francis Escudero
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Impeachment Court has junked the defense panel’s opposition to the prosecution’s request for a subpoena of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report on Vice President Sara Duterte’s financial transactions, saying precedent allows courts and Congress to access such records.
Toward the end of Monday’s trial, Presiding Officer and Senator-Judge Francis Escudero read the ruling granting the prosecution’s request to subpoena Duterte’s financial records, except those involving a few companies with no immediate links to her.
Escudero said the defense’s argument that AMLC records are protected from compulsory court processes is misplaced because the Supreme Court (SC) has already allowed the Sandiganbayan and Congress to subpoena AMLC reports in court proceedings and legislative inquiries.
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