VP Declared No Cash Assets Since 2019, Ombudsman Witness States

VICE-PRESIDENT (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio declared no cash on hand or cash in bank in her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) from 2019 to 2025, an Office of the Ombudsman official told the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday. At the 25th day of Ms. Duterte’s impeachment trial, Karen S. Batu, officer-in-charge of the Ombudsman Records Division, authenticated SALNs presented by the House prosecution and confirmed that the Vice-President had no declared cash assets in the seven-year period. “For SALNs 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, there is no cash on hand or in bank declared,” Ms. Batu said after confirming that Ms. Duterte also had no cash declarations in her 2019 and 2020 SALNs. The House prosecution presented Ms. Batu to authenticate Ms. Duterte’s SALNs from 2007 to 2012 and 2016 to 2025. She has served as officer-in-charge of the Ombudsman Records Division since 2025. The Office of the Ombudsman is the repository for SALNs of public officials. During the presentation, House private prosecutor James Bryan Ibrahim A. Alih said Ms. Duterte’s net worth, together with that of her husband, Manases R. Carpio, had increased by about P91 million. The prosecution has presented SALNs showing an increase in Ms. Duterte’s declared net worth from P7.2 million in 2007, when she first served as Davao City mayor, to P98.6 million in 2025. Ms. Batu also identified business interests declared in Ms. Duterte’s SALNs, which the House prosecution said were relevant to its allegation that she failed to comply with constitutional restrictions on business interests. Retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang told the impeachment court on Monday that public officials, particularly the President and Vice-President, must divest business interests within 30 days of assuming office. Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution prohibits the President and Vice-President from directly or indirectly engaging in business during their terms of office. Ms. Batu identified eight business interests in Ms. Duterte’s 2022 SALN, the year she assumed office as Vice-President. “For the 2022 SALNs, her business interests declared are Davao New Royal Taipan Corp., Metro City Chow Foods Corp., Timesquare Bee Foods Corp., Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines, Inc.,” Ms. Batu said. She also identified four business interests declared by Mr. Carpio: Carpio Duterte Lawyers, Cale 88 Foods Corp., 888 Bistro and Madayaw Fisheries. In 2023, Ms. Duterte declared three additional business interests: Mati City Ice Plant and Cold Storage, Inc., Amianan Shores, Inc. and Geometry Security and Investigation Agency, Inc. Ms. Batu said Ms. Duterte declared 10 business interests in her 2024 SALN. The House prosecution began presenting evidence on Article II of the impeachment complaint on Monday. The article concerns allegations of unexplained wealth, non-declaration of assets and continued business interests. The testimony forms part of the prosecution’s evidence against Ms. Duterte, who faces impeachment allegations in the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. — KPBG