Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon – Photo courtesy of Terry Ridon/Facebook
House prosecutors are considering whether Vice President Sara Duterte’s 91 days of non-official foreign travel over the past two years should form part of their unexplained wealth case under Article II of her impeachment trial.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said Monday that the prosecution began looking more closely at the trips after retired Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang testified that expenditures may be relevant when assessing whether a public official’s wealth is consistent with lawful income and declared assets.
Ridon said Duterte had spent about 91 days abroad over the past two years through roughly 19 trips that were non-official in nature.
He stressed that the number of trips alone would not establish unexplained wealth, saying prosecutors would have to determine the actual cost of the travel, who paid for it and whether the expenses were consistent with Duterte’s legitimate income.
The prosecution is also expected to compare any verified travel expenses with Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
Ridon noted that a declared net worth figure cannot automatically be treated as cash available for spending because it may include real property, investments and other non-liquid assets.
Under Republic Act No. 6713, public officials are required to file truthful SALNs disclosing assets, liabilities, net worth, business interests and financial connections, while unexplained wealth inquiries may also examine whether expenditures appear disproportionate to lawful income.
The prosecution team is now studying what travel records, payment documents and other financial evidence may be needed before deciding whether the trips can be formally incorporated into its presentation of Article II.
