NO MORE suspense, no more drama. In what looks more like a grand display of toughness, the newly-elected presiding officer of the impeachment court drew first blood by shipping a sealed box which reportedly contains tax records that could seal the fate of Vice President Sara Duterte.
On the first day of the impeachment trial, impeachment court presiding officer Senator Francis Escudero ordered that the sealed box be shipped back — closed and sealed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
According to Escudero, there’s no use keeping a box of documents that is neither offered nor marked as an evidence.
“This box was turned over to the Senate as part of the documents, including the Articles of Impeachment. However, the Court is not yet in custodia legis of this box given that there is no lawful order issued by the court for this box to be turned over to the Senate. Moreso that it is not yet offered in evidence, not even, as of yet, marked,” he said.
“The chair therefore orders that the BIR box—closed, sealed, and asked it is received—be sent back to the BIR, without prejudice to any action that the court may take,” he added.
Escudero clarified that the impeachment court could only act if a motion is filed by either party for the issuance of a subpoena.
The sealed box that was submitted to the Senate by the House Justice Committee prior to the trial, reportedly contains the income tax returns (ITRs) of the Vice President and her husband, as well as those of their businesses.
Lawyers for the Vice President stood against the unsealing and marking of the box as evidence, unless done in an executive session.
