Police Maj. Joericson Sangalang of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office appears before the Senate impeachment court, September 28, 2026. Screenshot from Senate livestream on YouTube
MANILA — Senator-judges questioned Monday the relevance of testimony from the chief of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO) in relation to allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte amassed unexplained wealth.
During the impeachment proceedings at the Senate court, presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero still allowed PNP-FEO chief Police Maj. Joercison Sangalang to proceed with his testimony but advised prosecutor San Juan Rep. Ysabel Zamora to cut short her questioning, saying the senator-judges "find this witness not as convincing with respect to ill-gotten wealth."
But in the middle of the direct examination, Sen. Raffy Tulfo said listening to Sangalang's testimony was "a waste of time."
"'Yong firearms pwede ma-declare as personal properties [in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth]... It's up to us na lang kung paano natin dineclare," Tulfo said.
"For me, sorry ha, this is a waste of time. Mas marami pa sana tayo puwede gawin, mag-plenary [session] na lang tayo, marami tayo mga mapapasang bill kaysa isasalang natin siya," Tulfo added, referring to Sangalang.
Prior to Escudero's decision, several senator-judges expressed their reservations over Sangalang's testimony.
"Ano po ang relevance ng magiging statement ni Maj. Sangalang dito sa pinag-uusapan natin tungkol sa hidden wealth or unexplained wealth?" Sen. Erwin Tulfo asked.
"May diyamante ba, may gold ba 'yang baril na 'yan that we have to tackle all the firearms?" Tulfo said in jest.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri also pointed out that many if not all senators were also firearms owners.
"We usually put it under personal effects and personal properties [in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth], Your Honor. So I don't see if there's any violation, that I feel, would happen if they do that," Zubiri said.
"I don't think it's that much weight. We're looking for the bigger evidence they want to present, if any," Zubiri added.
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Other senators who expressed reservations about Sangalang's testimony were Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
Among the prosecution's offers of testimony read out by Zamora was that Sangalang would be presented to prove that Duterte and her husband "maintain a hobby in gun collecting," owning more than 50 firearms worth at least P7 million.
Zamora later said guidelines for the submission of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) require the declaration of firearms.
But defense lawyer Carlo Joaquin Narvasa noted that Zamora had cited a 2025 guideline from the Civil Service Commission "which do not have application to the SALNs of the Vice President as those [rules] will be applicable only for submissions beginning 2026."
The court is hearing allegations that Duterte amassed unexplained wealth, failed to fully disclose her assets, and failed to divest her business interests while serving as vice president.
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