Sara Duterte Begins Defense in Unexplained Wealth Impeachment Trial
Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio began her defense in an impeachment trial over allegations she amassed 800 million pesos in unexplained assets.
Lawyers for Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio opened their defense on November 9, 2026, in an impeachment trial centered on allegations of unexplained wealth. Prosecutors claim the vice president amassed over 800 million pesos in assets, including remittances from China and Hong Kong, which exceed her declared income. A forensic analyst testified to these figures, while the defense called Davao City assessor Jaime Adalin to rebut claims that a specific property was missing from her 2024 asset declarations.
To expedite the proceedings, prosecutors recently rested their case after withdrawing three of four original charges, which had included bribery, misuse of public funds, and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Duterte-Carpio, who has avoided the trial since July, denies all wrongdoing and has characterized the proceedings as "political harassment."
The trial marks a significant escalation in the conflict between Duterte-Carpio and President Marcos Jr., who ran on a joint ticket in 2022. A September ruling lowered the conviction threshold from 16 to 14 senators after four senator-judges were sidelined due to legal issues, including an International Criminal Court investigation into the "war on drugs" led by former President Rodrigo Duterte. A conviction would remove Duterte-Carpio from office and disqualify her from the 2028 presidential race, where she is currently a frontrunner. She also faces a separate criminal case regarding alleged threats against the president and his family.
