Metro Manila, Philippines – The second gentleman turned to the court to prevent the subpoena of the House of Representatives to acquire his tax records for the impeachment hearing on April 14, a lawmaker said.
On Monday, April 13, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, justice panel member, shared a copy of the petition filed by Manases Carpio with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. NewsWatch Plus cannot independently verify the document.
In the petition, Carpio sought an executive three-day temporary restraining order and/or a 20-day stay order in enforcing the summons to the Bureau of Internal Revenue to produce records of his income tax returns from 2007 to 2025 and the Carpio Lawyers Law Firm, which is also a petitioner in the formal filing.
He called the period covered by the request “exceedingly overstretched.”
Carpio also wanted the court to issue a writ of preliminary injunction and declare the subpoena null and void from the beginning.
The summon covers the vice president’s tax records in the same period, as well as other entities supposedly linked to the couple.
Named as respondents were House Speaker Bojie Dy and Batangas 2nd district Rep. Jinky Luistro, who chairs the justice committee.
Carpio said the House has no authority to issue the subpoena, claiming that it is only the Senate, which sits as the Impeachment Court, that is authorized to issue such an order.
“On top of all, petitioner Manases is a private person. He is not part of the impeachment proceedings against VP Sara. The sought subpoena of petitioner Manases’ and his law firm’s tax returns obviously violate their constitutional right to privacy and illegal search, the confidentiality of tax returns under the NIRC and the Data Privacy Act,” the petition read.
“Respondents Dy and Luistro’s subject subpoena violates our constitutional provisions on the right to privacy and the sole and exclusive authority of the Senate to issue subpoenas in impeachment cases. It is unconstitutional, irregular, unlawful, and highly irregular,” it added.
Carpio said the summons are part of a supposed fishing expedition against his wife.
He added that it contradicts the early determination of the justice committee that the two impeachment suits are sufficient in substance.
The committee earlier summoned a number of officials to submit records of Duterte’s key financial records for the April hearing. Lawmakers said these documents would shed light on allegations concerning the vice president’s unexplained wealth, one of the issues in the complaints.
The complainants want Duterte impeached for supposed betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, and high crimes, among others, over allegations of fund misuse, threats to the first family, and unexplained wealth.
