Philippines Investigates Chinese Remittances Linked to Sara Duterte

The National Security Council of the Philippines is investigating suspicious financial inflows from China and Hong Kong into companies linked to the family of Vice President Sara Duterte. National Security Adviser Eduardo Oban Jr. stated the council is reviewing information revealed during Duterte's Senate impeachment trial to determine if the transactions pose national security risks.

Evidence presented by Anti-Money Laundering Council Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura indicates that Cale88 Foods Corp., a company linked to Duterte's husband Manases Carpio, received 319.33 million pesos (approximately $5.08 million) in flagged remittances. Buenaventura further testified that accounts belonging to Duterte and Carpio recorded 4.4 billion pesos in covered and suspicious transactions. Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV alleged these funds originated from Chinese government and corporate sources.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and the Armed Forces of the Philippines warned that such funding, if substantiated, represents a serious security risk. Prosecutors are using the evidence to support impeachment articles accusing Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth. Vice President Duterte has denied allegations regarding the misuse of public funds and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and has deferred comments on the specific remittance testimony to her legal team.