Court junks petition of Sara's lawyer-husband to stop disclosure of tax records 'for lack of jurisdiction'

MANILA, Philippines — A local court junked a petition filed by Vice President Sara Duterte's husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, to stop a committee of the House of Representatives from acquiring tax records and other documents that can be used as evidence in its impeachment case against the vice president. The Quezon City (QC) Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 81 dismissed Carpio's petition "for lack of jurisdiction." "In the case at bench, the respondents are acting in the official capacity as part of the [House Committee on Justice], a co-equal branch of the government hence, the case at bench should have been filed with the Supreme Court," the Quezon City court said in its ruling. "Accordingly, the petition for prohibition is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. The prayer for issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction is denied," the court order said. The court said that in the amended petition, Carpio cited that the committee had no jurisdiction over him and his law firm, Carpio Lawyers, GPP. The court said "prohibition cannot lie against" the committee "which is a validly constituted body exercising jurisdiction vested by law." It also said that the subpoena was issued "in the valid exercise of" the committee's "inherent power" to issue compulsory processes for the production of documents.

Go to News Site