Senate impeachment court admits prosecution evidence vs. Sara Duterte | ANC

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The World Tonight: The Senate Impeachment Court has admitted most of the evidence presented by the prosecution in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte over allegations of unexplained wealth. In a November 5 order signed by Presiding Officer Senate President Francis Escudero, the court overruled the defense's continuing objection to documents obtained through subpoenas during the trial, which were not attached to the original impeachment complaints. The defense had argued that the prosecution's requests for these documents amounted to a fishing expedition. But the court said evidence obtained through subpoenas during trial may supply relevant facts in proving the allegations in the impeachment article, citing the constitutional powers of the House of Representatives to impeach public officials and the Senate to try and decide impeachment cases. Among the evidence admitted were documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, including covered and suspicious transaction reports linked to Duterte and her husband, Mans Carpio. The court also accepted documents from various banks, insurance and investment companies, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Other admitted evidence included the financial forensic report of prosecution witness Attorney Alexander Cabrera, as well as records from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System, the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office, and the Land Registration Authority. The court also rejected the defense's objection to the admission of financial records from before Duterte became vice president, saying these were necessary to establish a starting financial baseline for comparison. However, the impeachment court excluded all Commission on Audit disallowance records involving confidential funds under withdrawn Article I. It also excluded records from JTC Group of Companies Philippines, Inc. and Pikimong Pikimong Philippines Corporation, ruling that these companies were not re...