Philippine prosecutors win subpoenas for VP Duterte's financial records

The Senate, functioning as an impeachment court, stipulated that the records can only be used as a starting point to evaluate Duterte's assets, transactions, and business interests during her current tenure, explicitly prohibiting their use for introducing new allegations. Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on May 11, facing charges that include unexplained earnings, bribery, and corruption, as well as accusations of threatening President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the first lady, and a former House speaker.

Marcos and Duterte, who ran on a joint ticket in 2022, have since experienced a fractured alliance, with Duterte criticizing Marcos for incompetence. Senator Francis Escudero, presiding over the trial, stated that the requested documents meet the court's requirements. The court also granted a subpoena for tax records but deferred their release pending compliance with confidentiality rules.

A conviction, requiring at least 16 of the Senate's 24 members to vote in favor, could significantly impact Duterte's ambition to run for president in 2028. Duterte has consistently denied any wrongdoing, characterizing the impeachment proceedings as politically motivated.