Top News

Suspicious transactions totaling more than P6.7 billion (Dh419million) passed through the bank accounts of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterteand her husband, Manases Carpio, in 19 years — enormous amount of money that were not reflected in Duterte's statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN), that all public officials and employees are required to annually submit.

This was revealed during Wednesday's impeachment proceedings against Duterte. The Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said that based on bank records, the Duterte-Carpio couple conducted extremely large bank transactions between 2005 to 2025.

Despite the billions of pesos cash flow in various banks, Duterte's declared SALN showed she had a net worth of only P88.5 million.

AMLC executive director Ronnel Buenaventura said of the P6.77 billion transactions, P4.4 billion flowed into Duterte and her husband's accounts. Meanwhile, P1.55 billion flowed out, and another P791.1 million in older transactions could not be classified as either inflows or outflows because the AMLC's early systems did not distinguish between the two.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

The Council said covered transactions numbered 313 involving P500,000 and above as well as “17 suspicious transactions reports” covering transactions suspected of being involved in any illegal activity or deemed highly irregular regardless of the amount involved.

In the said years, Duterte’s net worth according to her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) were P18.2 million P16.2 million, respectively, Committee on Justice member Representative Terry Ridon pointed out.

Duterte’s net worth peaked at P88 million in 2024.

Another witness, Duterte nemesis and former senator Sonny Trillanes reported that members of the Duterte family – including the vice president, former President Rodrigo Duterte, current congressman Paolo Duterte, current Davao City mayor Sebastian Duterte, Rodrigo’s common-law wife Honeylet and their daughter, Kitty – received regular “dividends” from suspected illegal drugs kingpin Samuel Uy cumulatively worth hundreds of millions of pesos.

Uy gave the amounts through managers checks that eventually were flagged by the AMLC as suspicious transactions.

Duterte was again absent during Wednesday's hearing. The vice president and her husband sought the proceedings to be declared illegal by the Supreme Court while Carpio asked the Quezon Regional Trial Court to restrain the House panel from demanding their personal financial records.

Duterte allies Rep. Paolo Marcoleta and Rep. Jesus Suntay tried to question AMLC’s participation in the proceedings, citing bank secrecy laws, but were dismissed.

CoJ chairperson Gerville Luistro as well as Reps. Leila de Lima, Renee Co, Chel Diokno, and others pointed out that impeachment proceedings are exempted in the exemptions provided in the law.

Protesters call for the impeachment of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte outside the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Metro Manila

Explainer: Philippines VP Duterte’s impeachment, anti-corruption or another political spectacle Philippines VP Duterte spent P125 million in 24 hours, witness claims during impeachment hearing Philippine VP Sara Duterte snubs impeachment hearing, questions again committee's jurisdiction