LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Nov. 12, 2026
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court resumes proceedings on Thursday, with the defense set to present Bank of the Philippine Islands Senior Vice President Atty. Paul Roderick Ysmael as its fifth witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
- Ysmael is expected to testify on the letter requests made by Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, through their legal counsel, as the defense continues to counter allegations of unexplained wealth.
READ: Highlights: Day 42 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Nov. 11, 2026
- Other witnesses scheduled to provide corroborating testimonies are Chadrin Parian and Quezon City Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano.
- On Day 42, defense witness Suzette Balucanag-Punay testified that Duterte received P2.14 million from GenCorp between 2022 and 2025 as a return of capital from an investment in a Jollibee branch in Davao City.
- Punay admitted she could not produce written records establishing the amount or terms of Duterte’s original investment. She also acknowledged that “loose investment” had no technical definition.
- The defense withdrew its planned presentation of 15 bank executives, leaving BPI’s Ysmael as the only bank representative scheduled to testify this week.
Sara Duterte impeachment: Defense drops BPI exec as witness
‘WERE YOU NOT AN AVID DEFENDER OF THE VICE PRESIDENT?’
Defense witness Atty. Anel Martin Antero confirms that he is a longtime friend of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Mans Carpio.
Prosecution counsel Virgil Ligutan asks, “Were you not an avid defender of the vice president?”
Antero: “I can say that I am part of her legal team insofar as the cases that were filed against her.”
Ligutan also presents Antero’s social media posts supposedly showing support for Duterte in several occasions.
On P200,000 dinner bill in Tokyo: “Hindi po namin ine-expect na gaano po kamahal ang babayaran namin.”
Wala po akong dalang photo. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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Defense witness Atty. Anel Martin Antero testifies that he was among 11 people who had dinner at Ginza Inakaya in Tokyo, Japan, with Atty. Mans Carpio.
Antero recalls that the bill exceeded P200,000 and that Carpio’s credit card was used to settle the payment because some members of the group had no cash.
He says the group agreed to reimburse Carpio, with each member contributing their share.
Antero says his personal share was about ¥40,000. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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‘LONG-TIME FRIEND OF VP SARA’
LOOK: The prosecution presents a photo of defense witness Atty. Anel Martin Antero with Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio. Antero confirmed that the photo was taken following Rodrigo Duterte’s victory in the 2016 presidential election.
Atty. Amando Ligutan: “You have long been a friend of the Vice President?”
Antero: “Long-time friend, yes.”
#VPonTrial
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‘PROBLEMA BA ‘YON ‘PAG HINDI MATANDAAN?’
Senator-judge Robin Padilla questioned whether a defense witness’s trips to China were an issue, citing his own visits to the country, including one with former President Rodrigo Duterte. Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon clarified that the issue was not the trips themselves but the witness’s credibility and truthfulness. #VPonTrial
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Defense presents Atty. Anel Martin Antero as witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, November 12.
He will testify that he was in Japan with Duterte’s husband, Mans Carpio on May 19, 2023, and explain the circumstances surrounding a P205,007.29 credit card charge at Ginza Inakaya Tokyo. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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DEFENSE DISPENSES WITH BPI WITNESS
Defense counsel Michael Poa says the defense is dispensing with BPI SVP Atty. Paul Roderick Ysmael, saying his testimony was only needed to authenticate a letter that Poa had already admitted to writing in open court. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte will no longer present their witness Atty. Paul Roderick Ysmael, the senior vice president of the Bank of the Philippine Islands. #VPonTrial | @JEMendozaINQ
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DAY 43: The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte resumes on Thursday, November 12. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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WATCH: Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Nov. 12, 2026
VP Trial Day 43: BPI Senior VP to testify on Duterte-Carpio letters
GenCorp payments raise conflict-of-interest questions for VP, witness
Witness: VP earned P2M from ‘loose investment’
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