Metro Manila, Philippines – The Quezon City prosecutor’s office has recommended the dismissal of the complaint of Second Gentleman Mans Carpio against a number of lawmakers and government officials over bank information disclosure at the House justice committee hearing, the panel that scrutinized the impeachment complaints against his wife, Vice President Sara Duterte.
“We acknowledge the September 7, 2026 resolution of the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office recommending the dismissal of our client’s complaint against the respondents,” Peter Danao, legal counsel for Carpio told reporters on Wednesday, September 9.
“Our client reserves the right to exhaust all available legal remedies to challenge the resolution, consistent with his right to seek appropriate relief under the law and existing rules,” he added, noting that Carpio has yet to receive a copy of the resolution.
The respondents in the complaint were Batangas 2nd district Rep. Jinky Luistro, Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua, and Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima – all members of the prosecution panel in the impeachment trial against Duterte.
The complaint also covered members of the justice committee, namely, Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña, ACT Teacher’s Rep. Antonio Tinio, and Kabataan Rep. Renee Co.
It also included officials from the Anti Money Laundering Council and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. and SEC Chairperson Francis Edralin Lim.
In a statement, Danao said the ground for dismissal was for lack of jurisdiction and that it “does not constitute a final determination on the merits of the allegations raised in the complaint.”
He added that Carpio has the option to refile the complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman, which the camp said the resolution identified as “the proper forum based on its jurisdictional finding.”
“The issues raised in the complaint involve the disclosure and handling of confidential and sensitive financial information, and we believe these issues deserve to be fully examined on the merits by the proper authority,” Danao said.
Carpio’s bank records are now with the Impeachment Court along with his wife’s financial documents.
‘Papunta na sa exciting part’
In separate statements, members of the prosecution panel welcomed the complaint dismissal.
“Tunay na papaliit na ang mundo ng mag-asawang Duterte-Carpio. At talagang papunta na tayo sa exciting part,” said Ridon, the lead prosecutor for the presentation of evidence in allegations of unexplained wealth.
[Translation: Indeed, the world of the Duterte-Carpio couple is getting smaller and smaller. And we’re really heading toward the exciting part.]
Chua said he expected the complaint to be dismissed for lack of basis, adding that the decision is timely as the prosecution prepares for the presentation of evidence for Article 2.
“With this, yung mga testigo na uupo na dinamay nila dito para harassin, para mapigilan ang kanilang mga sasabihin sa impeachment ay wala na magiging hadlang,” he said in a press briefing.
[Translation: With this, the witnesses they dragged into this and harassed in an attempt to prevent them from testifying in the impeachment proceedings will no longer have any obstacles.]
