MANILA, Philippines — In a move to protect his financial privacy, Atty. Manases Carpio, the husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, has petitioned the court for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to prevent the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) from releasing his tax records to the House committee on justice.
The petition, filed on April 10, 2026, in the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, argues that the House of Representatives’ subpoena of a private individual’s tax returns without their consent is a violation of constitutional rights and data privacy laws.
The House committee on justice, chaired by Rep. Gerville Luistro, issued the subpoena on April 6 as part of its ongoing impeachment proceedings against the Vice President.
- Scope of Request: The panel requested certified true copies of the income tax returns (ITRs) for both the Vice President and her husband, covering her tenures as Vice Mayor and Mayor of Davao City, as well as her current term as VP.
- Justification for Inquiry: Rep. Terry Ridon, a member of the committee, claimed that Duterte’s net worth grew by over 300 percent between 2008 and 2024. The panel seeks to verify if her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) accurately reflect her and her spouse’s income.
- Carpio’s Defense: Atty. Carpio’s petition maintains that tax returns are “highly confidential” and protected by the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) and the Data Privacy Act. He argues that the House’s “fact-finding authority” does not override an individual’s right to life, liberty, and property.
Despite the court petition, the House committee on justice is proceeding with its hearings.
- Legislative Power: Rep. Ridon countered that claims of privacy cannot override the constitutional powers of Congress during impeachment functions. “BIR documents are proper subjects of subpoena… as these records are relevant to the determination of whether the Vice President may have betrayed public trust,” Ridon stated.
- Witness Lineup: Today’s hearing features high-profile attendees, including representatives from the Office of the Ombudsman, the Commission on Audit (COA), and Ramil Madriaga, a former aide to the Vice President who is providing testimony from jail.
The impeachment landscape has shifted rapidly in recent weeks:
- Remaining Complaints: Out of four original complaints, two remain active and have been declared sufficient in form and substance.
- Supreme Court Involvement: Vice President Duterte has herself petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the entire impeachment process unconstitutional. While the High Court has asked the House to explain the proceedings, it notably denied a request to issue a TRO to stop the hearings.
- Timeline: The justice committee is scheduled to hold further hearings on April 22 and April 29, with a potential plenary vote on the Articles of Impeachment as early as May 4, 2026.
If the committee finds probable cause, a majority vote of the panel will lead to the drafting of the Articles of Impeachment, which must then be approved by one-third of the House membership before being transmitted to the Senate for trial.