House prosecutors on Monday raised national security concerns over P319.326 million in remittances from mainland China and Hong Kong received by a company linked to Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s husband, saying a thorough investigation must establish whether the funds supported her political activities.
House impeachment team adviser and spokesperson Ace Barbers said the transactions were alarming because of their potential implications for national security, particularly if evidence showed that foreign funds financed the political activities of the country’s second-highest official.
“Talagang very alarming kasi dahil merong national security implications ’yan,” Barbers said during a press briefing on Day 38 of Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial.
Barbers was responding to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s remarks over the weekend expressing concern about allegations that money from China may have reached Duterte through Cale88 Foods Corp., a company linked to her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
The President warned that the allegations, if proven, could pose a serious national security threat.
Barbers said investigators must determine whether the money Cale88 received was eventually used to finance Duterte’s political activities.
“Kung ito’y mapapatunayan sa isang malalimang imbestigasyon, therefore, napaka-alarming at nakakatakot ito. At ito ay may serious national security implication,” he said.
Records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council presented during the impeachment trial showed that Cale88 received P319.326 million in inward remittances from mainland China and Hong Kong.
However, the records presented have not established that the funds came from the Chinese government or that Duterte personally received the money.
House private prosecutor and spokesperson Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. also warned that the allegations could carry constitutional implications if the evidence substantiated them.
“If these allegations are found to be true and accurate by the senator-judges, it may have national security implications,” Tolosa said.
He said the Senate impeachment court must determine whether Duterte committed a culpable violation of the Constitution or betrayed public trust.
Tolosa also cited constitutional restrictions on public officials receiving gifts or compensation from foreign governments, saying these provisions could become relevant if investigators established that Duterte received money from a country that had taken aggressive actions against the Philippines.
“Seryoso ba itong paglabag, hindi lang sa Constitution but sa tiwala ng bayan, kung tumanggap talaga siya ng ganitong pera from another country which has taken aggressive actions against us?” he asked.
Tolosa said the central issue remained whether Duterte was fit to continue serving as vice president, considering the allegations and evidence presented during the proceedings.
The remittances were among the financial transactions raised by the prosecution under Article II of Duterte’s impeachment complaint, which covers allegations of unexplained wealth and violations of disclosure requirements for Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
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