House lead prosecutor expresses interes’ in NBI probe on properties linked to Duterte

MANILA — House lead prosecutor Representative Gerville Luistro expressed on Tuesday their interest in the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) probe on properties allegedly linked to Vice President Sara Duterte.

Luistro added that they may raise questions on this during cross-examination.

But the lawmaker said she is uncertain how they will be able to offer the findings in support of the prosecution’s evidence.

“We just want to express our interest to the ongoing investigation of the NBI on the discovered properties of the respondent vice president– the mansions in Davao City and the resort in Samal Island. And then I saw in the news, may nakita rin silang underdeclaration of properties in Davao as well as properties in Parañaque. We lament that we are in the process of filing already our formal offer of documents, which signifies the prosecution’s resting its case. Kumbaga dito magtatapos ang presentasyon ng ebidensya,” Luistro said.


“At the very least, perhaps we can raise these questions during cross of defense’s witnesses. But I am not certain really how we are going to offer them in support of the evidence of the prosecution,” Luistro added.

Luistro said she hopes such findings could be used by other agencies such as the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman.


“We wish to express our hope also sapagkat mayroon pa namang ibang forum at ahensiya ang gobyerno kung saan pwedeng ipagpatuloy itong mga findings ng NBI na ito like the Department of Justice and Office of the Ombudsman… These properties are, of course, supposed to be part ng unexplained wealth ng articles of impeachment natin, except that we have concluded already the presentation of our evidence,” she said.

The deadline for them to file a formal offer of evidence is on Friday, according to Luistro.

For Luistro, the NBI should take a “deeper” look into the matter of the vice president and her family’s wealth, as well as the supposed reality behind the simple life they allegedly depict.

The lawmaker made mention of the helipad and swimming pools allegedly connected to Duterte and her family.
“Ang pinapakita nila laging larawan ay ‘yung former president natutulog sa loob ng kulambo. ‘Yung former president kumakain sa karinderya, and your respondent vice president, pumupunta doon sa tuhog-tuhog ng mga fishballs, ‘di ba? Kumakain ng Jollibee– eh ‘yun pala sila may-ari nung Jollibee. So you see the contrast between the revelations today and the picture they depicted in the past,” Luistro said.
“Mayroon silang his and hers, sabi ng NBI– his and hers ang swimming pool, ‘di ba? At may helipad, which according to Cong. Joel, maghe-helipad ka lang dahil may helicopter ka. This is not simple living, I believe… The NBI should look into this deeper at nang makita natin ano ba talaga ang katotohanan sa likod ng mga ari-arian ng mga mansyon, mga resort, itong malalaking bill sa kanilang credit cards. What is the reality really behind all this?” Luistro asked.

House prosecutor Representative Joel Chua said his challenge to the defense to file a demurrer to evidence still stands if the other side truly believes the prosecution’s evidence is weak.
“Kung sa tingin nila na talagang mahina ‘yung naipresenta namin ay bakit hindi po sila mag-file ng demurrer nang sa ganoon masubukan natin kung totoong walang ebidensya na naipresenta ang prosecution,” Chua said.

In a statement, complainants behind the first and third impeachment complaints against Duterte and other individuals reaffirmed their support for House prosecutors following the move to drop three articles of impeachment.

“We, the complainants in the First and Third Impeachment Complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, together with various social movements and anti-corruption advocates, reaffirm our faith in and support for the House prosecution team. We view its decision to drop three of the four impeachment articles as a strategic move to focus on the evidence and bring the proceedings to a timely resolution,” the statement reads.

They said some of the dropped charges are being pursued “through other legal avenues,” and Filipinos deserve a “timely resolution.”

“We reject the drama of Sara’s lawyers that the dropping of the three articles constitutes a denial of due process. The defense was offered the opportunity to alternate its presentation of evidence with the prosecution for each article but rejected the proposal,” the complainants said.

“The Filipino people deserve a timely resolution, not endless procedural wrangling that delays judgment. Due process is a right, not a license to delay accountability or frustrate the ends of justice,” the complainants added.

Given how the bicameral conference committee will still be meeting on the budget, Luistro believes it is too early to preempt that there is a problem in the budget amid concerns on supposed infrastructure insertions from the House.
“Hindi pa naman po tapos ‘yung budget process… At pagka ho mayrong mga disparity ito ay mayroon pa silang mechanism we call bicam para ma-address lahat ng concerns in the budget process. I think it is too early to preempt, to say na may problema sa budget because as a matter of fact, halfway pa lang po tayo,” Luistro said.

Regarding Duterte being a no-show at the Senate’s budget hearing, Luistro said the vice president is “consistent” in the trial and even budget deliberations in not showing up.


“It is important that the people sees that he participates in important proceedings like the budget process. So ‘yun lang. Consistent ang vice president. No show sa investigation. No show sa trial. No show din sa budget briefing,” Luistro said.