House lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Atty. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro has challenged Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s defense team to explain the nearly P818 million in alleged unexplained wealth identified during the Senate impeachment trial, saying the prosecution remains confident in the financial evidence presented against her.
“May kasabihan tayo, numbers do not lie, and that is why ang prosecution is very confident,” Luistro said in a radio interview.
“Sapagkat mabigat ’to, mabigat ang inilatag na ebidensya for unexplained wealth, and we are interested. Paano ba nila ito ika-counter? Paano ba nila ide-debunk?” she also said.
Luistro was referring to the testimony of forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera, who identified P817.87 million in alleged unexplained wealth involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, from 2022 to 2025.
Cabrera, chairman emeritus of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of PwC, said the amount could reach P1.5 billion under a broader computation, subject to deductions for applicable liabilities.
His findings were based on an examination of bank records, income tax returns, Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), insurance policies, corporate records, and other financial documents presented during the trial.
Luistro said Cabrera helped establish the connections among records that initially appeared too technical for ordinary observers to understand.
She described his testimony as a “very strong and very clear explanation” of the prosecution’s evidence.
Among the findings were discrepancies between Duterte’s declared assets and bank balances, reported income and bank inflows, and business interests allegedly not fully disclosed in her SALNs.
Cabrera’s analysis also covered investments in companies linked to Duterte and Carpio, including GenCorp Industries Inc., which operates five Jollibee branches.
Luistro said the prosecution is interested in seeing whether the defense can provide documentary evidence and explanations addressing the discrepancies raised by Cabrera.
“Paano ba nila ipapaliwanag ’yung mga hindi naideklara sa SALN, ’yung mga hindi naideklarang income, at itong mga hindi maipaliwanag na property and wealth ng respondent Vice President?” Luistro said.
The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to resume hearings on Nov. 9, when Duterte’s lawyers are expected to begin presenting evidence on Article II, the remaining impeachment charge involving alleged unexplained wealth.
The House prosecution earlier withdrew three other impeachment articles involving confidential funds, grave threats, and bribery to shorten the proceedings and concentrate on the unexplained wealth case.