A senior official at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has declined to comply with a subpoena issued by the House justice committee for Vice President Sara Duterte's tax records, invoking the country's strict bank secrecy laws.
The refusal marks a significant procedural hurdle in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the vice president, which began earlier this month in the Philippine Senate.
The subpoena sought financial documents that prosecutors argue are critical to establishing the charges against Duterte.
However, the BSP official maintained that the central bank is legally bound by the General Banking Law, which prohibits the disclosure of deposit accounts and related financial data without the account holder's consent or a court order.
This legal shield has historically been a formidable barrier for investigators seeking financial evidence in high-profile political cases.
The development adds another layer of complexity to the historic impeachment trial, which has already become a focal point of the country's deepening political turmoil.