House Wants the Paper Trail: Sara Impeach Hearing Starts With Subpoena Blitz

The House justice committee opened the formal hearing stage of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte with a sweeping set of subpoenas aimed at gathering testimony and paper records. Based on Rappler’s report, lawmakers approved requests that cover not just the Vice President herself, but also people tied to her offices, finances, and business interests.

Among those ordered to appear and testify were Commission on Audit team leader Gloria Camora, alleged bagman Ramil Madriaga, lawyer Cynthia Vinas-Pantonal, a House legislative archives representative, a Philippine Statistics Authority representative, former DepEd chief of staff Michael Poa, plus representatives from the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The committee also moved to compel a long list of documents through subpoena duces tecum. Kasama rito ang records from the National Bureau of Investigation on alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House speaker Martin Romualdez.

Lawmakers additionally sought certified SALNs of Duterte for several years, confidential fund records from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, Madriaga’s affidavit and other evidence, old House hearing transcripts and videos, PSA certification records, and tax as well as corporate documents linked to Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio, and several named business entities.

The opening hearing showed that the committee is starting with documentation first before any dramatic political showdown. In short, gusto ng panel ng matibay na paper trail, with the subpoenas signaling that the next phase of the impeachment process will lean heavily on audit records, sworn testimony, and financial filings.

Source: Rappler — https://www.rappler.com/philippines/list-subpoenas-issued-house-justice-committee-vice-president-sara-duterte-impeachment-hearing/