House lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro on Monday rejected the possibility of allowing Vice President Sara Duterte to remain eligible for future elections in exchange for an impeachment conviction, arguing that the Constitution links removal from office with disqualification from holding public office.
Luistro made the statement in a radio interview when asked about unverified social media speculation that Duterte’s camp might accept a conviction if she could still run for office.
She cited Article XI, Section 3(7) of the 1987 Constitution, which states that an impeachment judgment shall not extend beyond removal from office and disqualification from holding any office under the Republic of the Philippines.
Luistro said the use of “and” in the provision means both penalties must apply to an official convicted through impeachment.
“Maliwanag sa ating Saligang Batas na penalty is removal and hindi naman sinabing (It is clear in our Constitution that the penalty is removal and it did not say) ‘or’; (it says) removal and perpetual disqualification to hold any public office,” Luistro said.
“Hindi po ‘or’ ang ginamit, ang sinabi po ‘and.’ Ibig sabihin (It did not use or, it said and. It means), removal plus disqualification, perpetual disqualification to hold any public office,” she added.
She said perpetual disqualification, under the prosecution’s interpretation, would prevent a convicted official from seeking any public position, from the barangay level to the presidency.
“‘Pag sinabi nating perpetual disqualification, ibig sabihin hindi na siya pwedeng tumakbo, simula sa barangay level hanggang sa (When we say perpetual disqualification, it means she can no longer run for office, from the barangay level up to the) presidential election. That’s the meaning of it,” Luistro said.
The prosecution is pursuing Article II, the remaining impeachment charge against Duterte, which involves alleged unexplained wealth, incomplete asset disclosures and questionable financial transactions. Three other articles concerning confidential funds, grave threats and bribery were withdrawn to shorten the proceedings.
*Prosecution cites financial records*
Luistro also expressed confidence in the prosecution’s financial evidence against Duterte, challenging her defense team to address nearly P818 million in alleged unexplained wealth identified during the Senate impeachment trial.
“May kasabihan tayo (We have a saying), numbers do not lie, and that is why the prosecution is very confident,” she said.
Forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera, chairman emeritus of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of PwC, testified that his examination identified P817.87 million in alleged unexplained wealth involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, from 2022 to 2025.
Cabrera said the amount could reach P1.5 billion under a broader computation, subject to deductions for applicable liabilities.
His analysis drew on bank records, income tax returns, Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), insurance policies, corporate records and other financial documents presented during the trial.
Luistro described Cabrera’s testimony as a “very strong and very clear explanation” that helped connect financial records that might otherwise appear too technical for ordinary observers to understand.
The analysis identified alleged discrepancies between Duterte’s declared assets and bank balances, reported income and bank inflows, as well as business interests that the prosecution said were not fully disclosed in her SALNs.
Cabrera also examined investments in companies linked to Duterte and Carpio, including GenCorp Industries Inc., which operates five Jollibee branches.
Luistro said the prosecution wanted to see whether Duterte’s defense could present documents and explanations addressing the discrepancies identified by Cabrera.
The Senate impeachment trial is scheduled to resume on Nov. 9, when Duterte’s defense is expected to begin presenting evidence.
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