A Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero allows the prosecution to present Vice President Sara Duterte’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) filed as early as 2007 during the trial. The ruling comes as the prosecution resumes its presentation of evidence for Article II, with lawyer Karen Batu, officer-in-charge of the Ombudsman’s Central Records Division, set as a witness.
The defense objects, arguing that some SALNs cover periods when Duterte was not yet an impeachable officer because she was not yet vice president. Escudero rejects the objection, stating that earlier SALNs are needed to establish a baseline for comparing changes in Duterte’s declared wealth during her vice-presidential term. He also clarifies that admitting pre–vice presidency SALNs is for evidentiary context and does not add new charges or expand the scope of the impeachment allegations.
While both outlets report the same courtroom exchange, they differ slightly in emphasis: one focuses on the formal approval of presenting the 2007 SALNs, and the other highlights Escudero’s explanation of why they are included and that they are not meant to introduce additional allegations.
