Duterte spouse sues regulators and lawmakers over bank data disclosure
By Erika Mae P. Sinaking, Reporter
LAWYER Manases M. Carpio, husband of Vice-President (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio, on Monday filed a criminal complaint against financial regulators and lawmakers over what he said was the unauthorized disclosure of his bank records during a congressional inquiry.
Mr. Carpio, through his lawyer Peter Paul L. Danao, filed the complaint-affidavit before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office after a House of Representatives Justice Committee hearing last week tied to impeachment complaints against the Vice-President.
The complaint stemmed from disclosures by officials of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) who presented transaction reports involving the couple’s bank accounts covering 2006 to 2025.
“The respondents, in apparent conspiracy… publicly disclosed and unraveled without my consent… the alleged transaction reports of different banks for me and my wife VP Sara’s bank accounts,” Mr. Carpio said in the complaint.
Named respondents were Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr., AMLC Executive Director Ronel U. Buenaventura and members of the House Justice Committee.
Mr. Carpio argued that the AMLC’s duty to protect financial information is absolute and could be overridden even by a congressional subpoena.
He added that the disclosure of the records has since circulated widely online, noting that he had sent a letter to the AMLC on April 15 objecting to any release of such information.
The complaint cited violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Bank Secrecy Law and the Data Privacy Act.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said it had yet to receive a copy of the complaint.
“We emphasize that the BSP and the Anti-Money Laundering Council continue to perform their mandates in accordance with the law, guided by independence, professionalism, and due process,” it said in a statement.
Batangas Rep. Gerville R. Luistro, who heads the Justice committee, defended the body’s actions, saying no laws were violated during the proceedings.
“Our subpoenas are not bank records,” she told DZBB radio. “Our subpoenas are covered transactions and suspicious transactions.”
She added that the documents presented were AMLC reports rather than direct bank records.
She said impeachment proceedings allow for exceptions to secrecy laws when investigating possible unexplained wealth.
“We maintain the position that we did not violate any law — neither the provisions of the Bank Secrecy Law nor the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering Act,” Ms. Luistro said.
House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. Leila M. de Lima also defended the disclosures, calling them part of Congress’ authority to determine probable cause in impeachment proceedings.
The AMLC, through the Office of the Executive Director, did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.
Ms. Luistro earlier said the proceedings are meant to determine whether there is sufficient basis to elevate the case to the Senate for trial.
Lawmakers said the House committee is working to establish probable cause after finding impeachment complaints sufficient in form, substance and grounds. They cited the presence of witnesses and submission of subpoenaed records as key developments in the proceedings.
Political analysts earlier said the impeachment proceedings risk undercutting Ms. Duterte’s position as a leading contender for the 2028 presidential election, with corruption allegations threatening to erode the political capital she has built since sweeping into office in 2022.
The move to unseat Ms. Duterte intensifies a high-stakes political standoff between her and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., once allies who ran together on a unity ticket but have since fallen out and emerged as rivals.
