House justice panel decides against opening Sara Duterte’s tax records

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Most lawmakers opt to be cautious amid legal issues that may arise if they were to open the BIR's box

MANILA, Philippines – The House justice committee voted against examining the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and husband Mans Carpio on Wednesday, April 29.

Thirty-eight lawmakers rejected Mamamayang Liberal Representative Leila de Lima’s motion to open the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) box containing the documents.

Lawmakers have expressed caution amid legal implications surrounding such a move, as opening the box may violate the National Internal Revenue Code.

Most argue that it would be prudent for the House to leave the decision to the Senate.

“The justice committee has the power to open that box. But for me, the crucial question is: Do we need to open it? This question is in relation to the determination of probable cause. If we are discussing probable cause, the evidence is already there. That is sufficient even without opening that box. We must act with extreme caution,” Akbayan Representative Chel Diokno said in Filipino.

“Attorney Mans Carpio is part of the issue. He is a private citizen with data privacy rights. He’s not the one we’re pursuing here,” Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido Abante added.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nonoy Defensor, however, insisted that the public deserves to know the contents of the box.

“Impeachment is the highest form of national inquest to determine the accountability and fitness of the highest leaders of the country,” Defensor said. “If we don’t open it, it’s as if we are committing betrayal of public trust.”

“We cannot send the box to the Senate without knowing its contents, because we will be the prosecutors later on,” De Lima added.

The move comes a day after the BIR announced it has greenlit a tax audit of the second couple and their nine businesses. – Rappler.com