The Impeachment Court trying the case of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio is not meant to safekeep the so-called “BIR Green Box” containing the Vice President’s tax records, and may thus return it to the House prosecution team, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson said the Impeachment Court cannot even decide on whether to open the box – much less unseal it – and may even risk being cited for grave abuse of discretion if it does so.
“One of the things we agreed upon in Friday’s senators’ caucus was to return the box because keeping it in our custody will violate the law. It is not the Impeachment Court or any court’s role to unseal it,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.
“Sen. Francis Escudero is right in saying the Impeachment Court has no business safekeeping the evidence because it is a court – unless it is presented and admitted as evidence before the court by the prosecution or defense,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: Hindi Tungkulin ng Impeachment Court na Mag-Safekeep ng ‘BIR Green Box’
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