Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte maintained that she declared the correct information in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), and that the purported billions of pesos in bank transactions are false, while confronting relevant government entities that presented documents in the impeachment hearing.
In a statement on Thursday, April 23, Duterte said her service records remain clean, in response to what she called moves to ruin her name.
“Hindi ako kailanman nagkaroon ng kaso sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan. Lahat ng aking ari-arian at pera ay idineklara ko sa aking SALN. Ang bawat sentimo ay mula sa lehitimong pinanggalingan at may kaukulang dokumento,” she said.
[Translation: I never had a case about fund misuse. All my assets and net worth were declared in my statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth. Each centavos came from legitimate sources and proper documents.]
The Office of the Ombudsman told lawmakers Duterte did not declare in her SALN cash on hand and in bank from 2019 to 2024.
Lawmakers flagged the disparity between Duterte’s SALN and her bank transactions with husband Mans Carpio, which according to the Anti Money Laundering Council had reached ₱6.7 billion from 2006 to 2025.
The vice president’s declared net worth in 2024 was ₱88.5 million.
In a press briefing, Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte’s defense team, said there is no mismatch, adding the defense is ready to address everything if the case reaches the Senate for trial.
‘Iyong salitang hindi nagtutuma is a conclusion by itself,” he said.
“The way AMLC numbers are presented aggregate kasi iyan, ibig sabihin lahat ng withdrawals mo, lahat ng deposits mo sa inflow at outflow e pinagsama-sama. Simplehan ko lang. Meron akong ₱1,000, dineposit ko, winithdraw ko, ang lalabas na total transactions mo ₱2,000 pero actually ang nasa bangko mo zero na,” Poa added.
[Translation: AMLC figures are presented in aggregate—that means all your withdrawals and all your deposits, both inflows and outflows, are added together. For example, if I deposit ₱1,000 and then withdraw it, the total shown will be ₱2,000, even if my bank balance is already zero.]
He echoed Duterte’s statement that she disclosed all her money and assets, explaining that the non-existent “cash in bank” from 2019 to 2024 was “lumped under others” section of her SALN.
Bank transactions ‘untrue’
Duterte took a swipe at government agencies, which she alleged were behind former Sen. Sonny Trillanes who testified that she received money from what he described as a drug lord.
She criticized the Anti Money Laundering Council (AMLC), which disclosed her bank transactions.
Duterte also slammed the Commission on Audit that asked her to return millions in disallowed funds, and blamed virtually the entire government mechanism for putting her down.
“Today, he is backed by a sitting president who must be compelled to submit to a simple drug test; “law-bender” members of the House of Representatives that have received “maletas” and have repeatedly disregarded constitutional limits; a Commission on Audit that appears to time its issuances in a manner that conveniently aligns with political attacks; and newly-installed AMLC officials who remain silent and refuse to clarify that there have been no findings of violations of anti-money laundering laws, and the billions of peso in bank accounts are untrue,” Duterte said, pertaining to Trillanes.
Duterte then pointed out the supposed corruption scheme in the flood control scam, asking the public not to be misled by the impeachment raps.
“Nasaan ang malinaw na sagot sa mga bilyon-bilyong piso sa flood control projects? Nasaan ang konkretong solusyon sa patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, sa kahirapan, at kagutuman?,” she said.
[Translation: Where are the clear answers about the billions of pesos spent on flood control projects? Where are the concrete solutions to the continuing rise in the prices of goods, to poverty, and to hunger?]
In the briefing, Poa told the public to be cautious of the impeachment raps, asking them to wait and see their evidence.
“Ang panawagan namin is hintayin nila kami, hintayin nila na kami naman ang mag-presenta ng aming ebidensya para pabulaanan lahat ng mga lumalabas ngayon sa’ting bise presidente,” he said.
(Translation: Our appeal is for them to wait for us to present evidence to refute all disclosures against our vice president.)
Duterte is facing two impeachment complaints for supposed betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, and high crimes, among others over allegations of fund misuse, threats to the presidential family, and unexplained wealth.
She skipped the House proceedings, choosing instead to release a statement, and challenging the impeachment hearing legality in the Supreme Court.
