Sara Duterte's net worth soars by over 1200% since entering public office

The declared net worth of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has seen a significant increase, soaring from P7.25 million in 2007 to P98.65 million in 2025, according to her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). This substantial growth was confirmed during testimony at an impeachment trial. Atty. Karen Batu, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Ombudsman Records Division and a witness presented by the House prosecution panel, affirmed this during her direct examination on the 25th day of the trial. Private prosecutor James Bryan Alih questioned Batu, asking, “In 2007, madam witness, we started at P7 million—based on your testimony, P7,250,497. And over the years of the Vice President’s tenure, her net worth has now risen to P98 million while she’s in government service. Is that correct, based on your testimony?” The witness answered in the affirmative. Batu stated that based on the SALNs she reviewed, this was the declared amount in the submissions to the Office of the Ombudsman. The prosecution presented Duterte's SALNs, detailing her declared net worth from 2007 to 2025. Alih specifically highlighted the considerable increase in Duterte's declared net worth between 2007 and 2008. However, defense counsel Justin Gular objected to the line of questioning, moving to strike the statements from the record. Presiding officer Francis Escudero of the Senate impeachment court approved the motion to strike Alih’s specific statement. Before entering politics, Duterte briefly served as a court attorney at the Supreme Court in 2006. She was elected vice mayor of Davao City from 2007 to 2010 and became the city's youngest and first female mayor from 2010 to 2013. In 2016, she was re-elected as Davao City mayor and served two consecutive terms before running for vice president in 2022. The substantial rise in her net worth, particularly in the initial years of her public service, has drawn attention. While salary from public office and potential investments are common explanations for net worth growth, the magnitude of the increase prompts scrutiny. In the Philippines, the SALN is a crucial tool for transparency and public accountability, and significant fluctuations in declared assets are often subjects of public interest and legislative inquiry. Information Source: GMA News Philippines