Defense: Properties mentioned were in Sara’s SALN

MANILA, Philippines — The properties mentioned by the prosecution witnesses before the Senate impeachment court yesterday were included in the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of Vice President Sara Duterte, according to the defense team.

“That is our position, your honor,” defense counsel Lindon Miguel Bacquel said.

The prosecution presented Register of Deeds officers Kathy Florence Baldonado from Davao City and Marco Pineda from the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte, who both testified on two pieces of land in Davao City and Samal Island, amounting to P6 million and P3.45 million, respectively.

The prosecution said Duterte failed to declare the two properties in her SALN and accused her of unexplained wealth, false SALNs and  continued business interests.

Bacquel said the testimonies of Baldonado and Pineda were “irrelevant” as the prosecution drilled down on the alleged unexplained wealth of Duterte.

Presentation of AMLC

The defense team has moved to postpone the prosecution’s presentation of the witness from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, saying they should be given time to study the documents submitted by the AMLC before the impeachment court.

In her manifestation, defense lead counsel Sheila Sison noted that they only received the email at 11:28 a.m. yesterday.

The AMLC is expected to present to the Senate impeachment court its report on the P6.7 billion in transactions linked to the bank accounts of Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio under Article II of the impeachment on unexplained wealth.

Sison added that the defense team needed to review at least 23 to 24 boxes of documents.