MANILA, Philippines — House prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno on Thursday maintained that confidentiality rules covering Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records does not shield them from a lawful subpoena issued by the Senate Impeachment Court.
Diokno’s statement came following the argument of Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team sought to defer the testimony of AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, citing confidentiality concerns and the need for more time to review documents.
The lawmaker cited Section 8-A of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, which restricts disclosure of AMLC information, but said it was intended to prevent unauthorized leaks, not compliance with a lawful subpoena.
“Section 8-A was only intended to prevent leaks by officers or employees of the [AMLC]. It was never intended as a blanket shield for any lawful subpoenas issued by a proper court,” Diokno said.
Defense counsel Sheila Sison, in response, invoked the same provision, noting that records submitted for Buenaventura’s testimony were marked “strictly confidential” and argued that the defense needed to review at least 23 to 24 boxes of documents underlying an 11-page summary it received that day.
Diokno countered by pointing out that the impeachment court had already rejected the confidentiality argument in a July 20 ruling, holding that Section 8-A regulates unauthorized disclosures by AMLC personnel but does not override the court’s subpoena powers. He also said the defense had received the AMLC documents on September 2.
Sison maintained that the July ruling recognized absolute confidentiality involving AMLC personnel and noted that Buenaventura is the executive director of the AMLC Secretariat.
“If the Court, as claimed by the defense counsel, recognized the absolute confidentiality, then why did it issue the subpoena in the first place?” Diokno answered back.
Presiding Officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero ultimately granted the defense additional time “out of courtesy and equity,” postponing Buenaventura’s testimony to Monday and canceling Friday’s trial session.
Escudero said senator-judges would review the relevant confidentiality provisions over the weekend.
The trial resumes Monday, Oct. 5, at 10 a.m., with Buenaventura expected to testify first, followed by subpoenaed banks and insurance companies and then a Bureau of Internal Revenue witness.
