HOUSE prosecutor Terry L. Ridon on Monday questioned how Vice President Sara Z. Duterte financed 91 days of overseas travel over the past two years, saying her declared assets and income raise serious questions about the source of the funds.
In a media interview, Ridon said Duterte was out of the country for a total of 91 days from 2025 to 2026.
He estimated that the trips could have cost between P5 million and P8 million, based on airfare and the United Nations Daily Subsistence Allowance rates covering hotels, meals and incidental expenses.
“Napakahalaga na maipaliwanag kung saan nanggaling ang pondong ginamit sa mga biyaheng ito,” Ridon said.
He noted that Duterte’s 2024 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) declared no cash on hand or cash in bank.
“Una, wala pong cash dito. Zero ‘yung cash in bank, cash on hand ng Pangalawang Pangulo,” he said.
Ridon added that even assuming Duterte had undeclared cash, her salary alone would not appear sufficient to finance millions of pesos in travel expenses.
“Can it come from her salary alone? I don’t think so,” he said.
He also questioned whether the money could have come from businesses associated with Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio.
“Can it come from the businesses that supposedly they own or they are partners of? Probably not because we have seen in the financial statements of all the Duterte-Carpio businesses, lugi po ‘yung mga negosyo po nito,” Ridon said.
“So, saan po galing ‘yung panggastos para sa mga biyahe po na ito?” he asked.
Ridon also pushed back against arguments that Duterte’s travels should no longer be scrutinized because they were supposedly funded with private money.
“I think at this point, we can say with certainty na hindi na uubra ‘yung paliwanag na wala naman siyang gastos dito sa mga biyahe po na ito dahil pribadong pondo daw ang ginamit,” he said.
He said that if friends or benefactors paid for the trips instead, that would raise another set of legal questions.
“Kung mga kaibigan, ’yun, di ba parang prima facie graft kung iba ‘yung nagpo-pondo ng mga biyahe?” Ridon said.
Ridon likewise renewed his call for Duterte to personally attend the impeachment proceedings.
“Ito na po ang ikalimang linggo at ikalabing-isang araw ng paglilitis, pero wala pa rin po sa Senate impeachment trial ang ating Pangalawang Pangulo,” he said.
“Madam Vice President, nasaan man po kayo sa mundo, harapin po natin ang paglilitis, harapin po natin ang katotohanan,” Ridon told the Vice President.
Asked whether the issue of Duterte’s travel expenses would form part of the House prosecution’s evidence on Article II of the impeachment complaint, which alleges unexplained wealth, Ridon said the panel is still studying the possibility.
“Pag-iisipan namin kung maihahabol pa itong particular na punto,” he said, adding that the prosecution already believes it has sufficient evidence to support the charge.
metrosundaily
