MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court on Thursday moved the testimony of an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) witness to Monday after Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense sought more time to review records marked “strictly confidential.” Defense lawyer Sheila Sison said the AMLC had indicated it was not waiving the confidentiality of its records and that the defense received the summaries only Thursday morning.
Sison said the panel needed to review around 23 to 24 boxes of documents to properly respond to the prosecution’s presentation and prepare for the AMLC witness’ examination.
“Without a review of that, we can't imagine how we would be able to intelligently respond to the questioning of the prosecution to their intended witness should it come to that and raise the proper grounds without proper examination,” Sison said.
The request drew differing views from the senator-judges.
Senate President Pro Tempore Tito Sotto opposed postponing the proceedings, noting that the defense had access to the AMLC documents since Sept. 2, 2026.
“All this time, I thought that the prosecution and the defense have been ready with this since July,” Sotto said.
“I don't think many would enjoy a postponement only because they were not given proper time,” he said, adding, “I'm speaking for the public.”
Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano agreed that the trial should not be repeatedly postponed but supported giving the defense until Monday to prepare, noting that the summaries were provided only Thursday morning.
“I agree with you that we shouldn't keep postponing,” Cayetano said.
He described Duterte’s finances as among the central issues in the impeachment case.
“If I can use the word ‘main event,’ one of the, if not the main event of this trial, the same as the Corona trial, is actually the questions about financial impropriety or graft and corruption and about the actual finances of the respondent accused,” he said.
Cayetano said the defense was seeking only the remainder of Thursday and Friday to prepare, not an extended delay.
“So I don't think the defense is asking for a month, a week. They're asking for this afternoon and tomorrow. So meaning, on Monday,” he said.
He said the court should balance the need to move the trial forward with the parties’ need to prepare adequately.
“In a democracy, the result is important, but the process is as important,” Cayetano added.
Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, addressed the confidentiality issue, saying the AMLC’s confidentiality requirements under the Anti-Money Laundering Act should not be interpreted as an absolute bar to disclosure before a proper court.
“For the record, the confidentiality requirement for AMLC officials in the Anti-Money Laundering Act is a prohibition against indiscriminate or voluntary leaking of information,” Hontiveros said.
She said the rule does not prevent AMLC officials from complying with a subpoena issued by a proper court, including an impeachment court, or from lawfully disclosing information to law enforcement agencies.
Hontiveros said an absolute interpretation of the confidentiality provision could prevent the AMLC from performing its statutory functions.
House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno also opposed delaying the presentation.
Diokno said the defense had access to the subpoenaed AMLC records since Sept. 2, giving it sufficient time to review the documents before the witness takes the stand.
He cited the impeachment court’s July 26 ruling, which found that AMLC confidentiality rules did not nullify the Senate’s lawful subpoena powers as an impeachment court.
The defense maintained that the records were confidential and that it needed additional time to review the voluminous materials.
Presiding Officer Francis Escudero then said he would furnish the senator-judges with copies of relevant provisions of Republic Act 9160, or the Anti-Money Laundering Act, as amended by Republic Act No. 11521.
The provisions include Sections 9(c) and 14(d) of RA 9160 and Section 8-A of RA 11521.
Escudero said the senator-judges could review the provisions and raise questions in caucus or in open session on Monday.
He also said Sison’s sidebar discussion was not considered a motion for reconsideration of his earlier ruling.
On the defense’s request for additional preparation time, Escudero said it was the first time the defense had sought more than a day to prepare for a witness.
“Ex comitate, ex aequo, out of courtesy and equity, the Chair grants the time requested by the counsel for respondent for time to prepare for the direct and cross-examination of the AMLC witness on Monday,” Escudero said.
Escudero directed the Clerk of Court to amend and issue the corresponding subpoenas.
The AMLC witness will testify Monday, followed by insurance company representatives, bank officials and Bureau of Internal Revenue officials on Oct. 5, 6 and 7, in the sequence presented by the prosecution.
