Lawyer of VP Sara Duterte Speaks on SALN Declaration
SARA DUTERTE – Atty. Michael Poa clarified why the Vice President has declared no cash on hand in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
Vice Pres. Duterte is currently faced with impeachment complaints that were filed before the Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives. Four impeachment raps were previously filed against Duterte and two (2) of them were found substantial in form, substance, and grounds by the House Justice Committee.
The Vice President has skipped three (3) impeachment hearings already. Her camp questions the constitutionality of the proceedings conducted by the House justice panel. Here are some of the grounds that the Vice President is being accused of the complaints:
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount over PHP 500 million confidential funds (CF) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount of not less than PHP 112.5 million of confidential funds allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the year 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by corrupting and bribing officials of the DepEd
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in contracting to murder or assassinate the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties and interests in properties in her SALN
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in committing acts of political destabilization and the high crimes of sedition and insurrection
The lawyer of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, Atty. Michael Poa, previously claimed that the Vice President is not required to personally appear at the impeachment hearings. The House Justice panel issued a subpoena to the Ombudsman to release the previous SALN of the Vice President.
The Ombudsman released the SALN of Vice Pres. Duterte citing its obligation to abide by the order. Ombudsman Boying Remulla has previously lifted the restrictions on the access of the SALN of the government officials that are within its repository.
Recently, it hooked attention and criticisms when reports that the SALN of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was found to have no declared cash on hand and in bank in her previous SALNs from 2009 to 2024. It gathered different reactions.
The lawyer of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte recently came to her defense. Based on a report on GMA News, Atty. Michael Poa clarified that the cash on hand of the Vice President is alleged “lumped” under the “others” line item.
“Upon consultation with our client, the Vice President, ang nangyari kasi doon is…it was lumped doon sa ‘others.’ ‘Yung sa SALN kasi meron ‘yan—real properties, personal properties. Pagdating sa personal properties, naka-lump na lang ‘yung amount under the heading ‘others.’ ‘Yun ‘yung line item,” Duterte’s lawyer said.
Based on the report, the lawyer of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte further claimed that even the cash in bank as well as the jewelry of the Vice president were allegedly “lumped” in the said line item.
“So we’d like to clarify na… ‘yung sinasabing hindi dineklara ‘yung cash, or sinasabing ang pagkadeklara ay walang cash. Meron, actually. It’s just that it was lumped lang po,” Poa added.
Recently, amid the accusations against the Vice President, her camp stressed that they are not only after winning but as well as showing the people that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is not corrupt.
