The Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has ruled against Atty. Manases "Mans" Carpio, the husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, in his attempt to block the House of Representatives from obtaining their income tax records. This decision is linked to ongoing impeachment complaints against Duterte.
Judge Madonna Echiverri stated that allowing Carpio's petition would infringe on the constitutional powers of the House regarding impeachment. The court cannot issue a writ of injunction that would interfere with the legislative body's authority.
Legal Justification
In a five-page ruling issued on May 6, the RTC emphasized that the House's exclusive power to initiate impeachment proceedings is safeguarded by the Constitution. Therefore, any challenge to its actions should be directed to the Supreme Court, not the RTC.
The respondents are acting in the official capacity as part of the House committee, a coequal branch of the government; hence, the case should have been filed with the Supreme Court.
Quezon City RTC
Carpio's petition named several House officials and the Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner as respondents. The court maintained that the issuance of subpoenas for Carpio and Duterte’s tax returns was a legitimate exercise of the House's inherent powers.
Evidence and Rulings
The court dismissed Carpio's references to YouTube videos and news articles, citing that such materials cannot be subjected to mandatory judicial notice and are considered inadmissible hearsay.
The House committee's articles of impeachment are scheduled for a plenary vote on May 11. Reports indicate that around 215 lawmakers currently support the impeachment, mirroring the vote count from the previous year.