THE millions of pesos involved in properties the House prosecution alleges Vice President Sara Z. Duterte failed to properly declare in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) may appear small to some, but not to ordinary Filipinos, House prosecutor Jonathan Keith Flores of Bukidnon said Thursday.
Flores made the point as prosecutors presented land registration records on two properties involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, with acquisition prices totaling about P9.45 million.
“Maaari pong sabihin na ilang milyon piso lang ito, pero sa ordinaryong Pilipino po, malaking halaga na ito, ang six million pesos,” Flores told the Senate impeachment court while presenting records on a property in Matina, Davao City.
Davao City Register of Deeds Atty. Kathy Florence M. Baldonado testified that the 379-square-meter property was purchased for P6 million in July 2024 and registered to Carpio, married to Duterte.
During the comparison of the land records with Duterte’s 2025 SALN, no entry could immediately be identified as matching the P6-million purchase. The defense, however, maintained that the Matina property may correspond to one of the assets declared in the SALN.
Flores repeated his point when prosecutors presented records involving another property in the Island Garden City of Samal purchased for P3,453,849 in 2018.
“Maaari pong sabihin na, again, ilang milyon piso lang ’to, but para sa iba, malaking halaga na po itong 3.4 million pesos, Your Honor,” Flores said.
Acting Samal Register of Deeds Atty. Marco K. Pineda testified that the property remains covered by an active and uncancelled title registered to Carpio, married to Duterte.
When the 2018 Deed of Absolute Sale was compared with Duterte’s 2019 SALN based on the acquisition year, location and value, Pineda said he could find no corresponding entry that perfectly matched the property.
“Nothing matches the land described in the Deed of Absolute Sale dated 2018, sir,” Pineda said.
The two properties are being presented by the House prosecution as part of its evidence under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of failing to fully and truthfully disclose her and her spouse’s assets, liabilities and net worth.
metrosundaily
