MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, on Friday said the authorization allowing the release of their income tax records raises legal issues that should be resolved through judicial review.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday authorized the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to submit the income tax records of Duterte and Carpio to the Senate impeachment court after it issued subpoenas for the documents as part of the vice president’s impeachment trial.
Carpio said he and the vice president respected the authority of the impeachment court and would comply with lawful processes, but maintained that the authorization should be evaluated under the Constitution and laws governing taxpayer information and the exercise of executive authority.
“The submission of documents to the Senate Impeachment Court is a procedural step. The legal significance, admissibility, and evidentiary value of those documents are matters for the Court to determine in accordance with the Constitution, applicable law, and the Rules of the Senate Impeachment Court,” Carpio said in a statement sent to The Manila Times.
Carpio also said his legal team believed there was no indication that the Bureau of Internal Revenue has issued any tax assessment or determination of tax deficiency against either him or the vice president, and would continue to pursue available legal remedies through the appropriate forums while respecting the independence of the institutions involved.
