Questions surrounding the financial disclosures of Vice President Sara Duterte emerged during the Senate impeachment trial following testimony regarding a 379-square-meter Davao City real estate asset purchased under her husband’s name.
During proceedings on Thursday, Davao City Register of Deeds Atty. Kathy Florence Baldonado testified that the Matina property was purchased by Atty. Manases ”Mans” Carpio on July 2, 2024, for P6 million. Records presented before the court indicated that the land parcel was subsequently mortgaged for P8 million the following month.
Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis ”Chiz” Escudero noted during the hearing that the P6-million property acquired by Carpio did not explicitly appear under the Real Properties section of Duterte’s 2025 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
”Base po dito sa dokumentong pinapakita ko, yes po, sir,” Baldonado replied when asked by the House prosecution panel to confirm the timeline of the acquisition and subsequent mortgage.
Defense counsel Atty. Lindon Miguel Bacquel maintained that the entry could correspond to an asset already declared under a different neighborhood designation in the Vice President’s filing, pointing out that the Matina Crossing location is also identified as Barangay 74A.
Escudero allowed the defense team to pursue that line of cross-examination as the tribunal continues its review of Duterte’s real estate assets and joint financial liabilities.