LIVE UPDATES: Vice President Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Trial (Day 35)

Today is the 34th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The court continues to hear Article II which accuses the Vice President of unexplained wealth, false SALNs, and continued business interests despite her election in 2022. 

3:32 p.m. – The Senate impeachment trial court takes a brief 5 minute break.

3:26 p.m. – Poa says the Vice President asked him to verify the mentioned BPI accounts because she does not have recollection of these as well as the transactions.

3:22 p.m. – Senator-judge and Senate President Win Gatchalian says he checked VP Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) and did not find the time deposit accounts worth P96 million for the years 2010 and 2011. 

Poa says the operative word is if the VP is aware of these time deposit accounts. He says all these accounts and transactions were not signed by their client, but by former President Duterte.

3:10 p.m. – Alih clarifies that there were two time deposits — one with P41 million and another with P55 million. 

These were supposedly converted to Manager’s Checks.

3:05 p.m. – Galvez explains that when money is used to buy a Manager’s Check, that amount will not be reflected in the balance of the source account.

2:52 p.m. – Escudero says based on the inventory of the list of pre-marked exhibits submitted by BPI to the Impeachment Court, the signature of VP Duterte does not appear in any of the transaction documents, such as the opening and closing of time deposit and the request for manager’s checks.

2:46 p.m. – Galvez confirmed earlier that a total of P80 million was used to buy peso plans.

2:36 p.m. – Poa also shows the witness a letter from the BPI Legal Division. 

Galvez says he is not familiar with the format of the letter.

2:34 p.m. – Poa shows the witness a copy of his letter to BPI back in February 2026 inquiring about the existence of VP Duterte’s accounts.

2:26 p.m. – Poa shows the witness copies of application forms for a manager’s check. The witness says the signatory is former President Duterte.

2:22 p.m. – Galvez confirms that given the structure of the joint account of VP Duterte and former President Duterte, the VP cannot transact without the consent of her father.

2:19 p.m. – Alih ends his direct examination. 

Poa proceeds with his cross-examination.

2:18 p.m. – Alih says there is another manager’s check dated May 30, 2016 in the amount P16,852,782. 

Galvez confirms this. He says the payee is Samuel C. Uy. 

2:17 p.m. – Galvez confirms a total of P80 million was debited from the BPI Julia Vargas branch account to buy peso plans.

2:10 p.m. – Marwin Galvez, Division Head of BPI, confirms there is a Manager’s Check dated April 19, 2012, another dated Oct. 17, 2012, and another dated Oct. 7, 2013 all with the amount P41,721,035.62. He says the payee is former President Duterte. 

Photo courtesy: Senate

Photo courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: Senate1:59 p.m. – Senator-judge Bam Aquino asks the witness if putting money in a manager’s check, not including the money in the ending balance of an account, and returning it is a known scheme in the banking industry. 

Galvez says it happens that a manager’s check is not used and the money is requested to be put back in the account. He adds that this is not uncommon. 

According to Galvez, he cannot comment on a client’s purpose in getting a manager’s check.

1:55 p.m. – Escudero asks Alih where his line of questioning is leading to. 

Alih says they are looking at transactions way back 2011 that moved around three to four years. He says they will attempt to show P41 million and P55 million. 

Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson asks if the prosecution is trying to establish pattern and prove concealment. 

Alih confirms. He adds that the manager’s check is not reflected in the yearend balance because the money is allegedly floating.

1:47 p.m. – Galvez says a Manager’s Check was bought on March 9, 2011 amounting to P41,721,035.62.

1:45 p.m. – Galvez confirms that an amount of P41,721,035.62 was taken from the time deposit account on March 9, 2011 and credited to the Julia Vargas branch on the same date.

1:38 p.m. – Galvez says there is also a Settlement Account in the BPI Julia Vargas branch. A settlement account is an account  where the proceeds and maturities of a time deposit are credited.

1:35 p.m. – Galvez confirms a time deposit account under the names of President Duterte and VP Duterte with a principal amount of P40.65 million opened on January 22, 2010. 

He says the principal amount was rolled over or renewed 12 times.

Photo courtesy: Senate 1:26 p.m. – Alih asks Galvez what a time deposit is. 

The witness says it is an account with a principal amount, a fixed term, an interest rate and a maturity date.

1:25 p.m. – The prosecution flashes the total ending balance of the BPI accounts of VP Duterte, Carpio, a minor, and former Pres. Duterte from 2022 to 2025.

Photo courtesy: Senate1:14 p.m. – Galvez mentions that there are seven active deposit accounts and two credit card accounts, along with one active corporate account covering the VP, Carpio, and 20 other companies from January 1, 2007 up to December 31, 2025.

1:07 p.m. – According to Galvez, Duterte and Carpio have seven active deposit accounts with BPI. 

He adds that the couple has 34 closed individual accounts.

1:07 p.m. – According to Galvez, Duterte and Carpio have seven active deposit accounts with BPI. 

He adds that the couple has 34 closed individual accounts.

1:05 p.m. – Alih says they will discuss the transactions in the BPI joint accounts of the Vice President and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, from 2011 to 2014. 

He says this involves transactions amounting to P90 million and purchases in insurance products worth P80 million.

1:02 p.m. – Atty. Michael Poa will represent the defense team.

1:01 p.m. – Marvin Galvez, Division Head/SVP of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), is called to the witness stand.

12:59 p.m. – Trial resumes.

12:14 p.m. – Impeachment Court Spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol says trial will resume at 1 p.m.

11:29 a.m. – The Senate impeachment trial court takes a lunch break. Trial will resume at 12:30 p.m.

11:28 a.m. – Cham is excused from the witness stand.

11:28 a.m. – Cham confirms that the Security Bank has eight peso accounts for GenCorp Industries Inc, with the first account opened in 2020. He says all accounts are active.

11:27 a.m. – Cham confirms to Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo that the  inflows in the CALE88 account for 2024 totaled P40,138,766.28 while the outflows totaled P40,001,101.79. 

The total inflows for 2025 is P6,265,915.66.

11:17 a.m. – The ending balance of the two accounts of CALE88 with Security Bank for the year 2025, according to Cham, is P332,530.95 and P21,164.27.

11:13 a.m. – Cham confirms to Pangilinan that CALE88 has two checking accounts with Security Bank, which were already closed in July 2026.

11:12 a.m. – Senator-judge and Senate President Win Gatchalian asks Cham why Security Bank filed multiple STRs on CALE88. 

Cham says he cannot confirm if STRs were indeed filed. He says he was advised by their legal counsel that they are not allowed to disclose any information as they are covered by the confidential restriction of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA). 

Senator-judge and Presiding Officer Francis Escudero confirms that the witness is covered by the confidentiality rule.

11:02 a.m. – Alih asks Cham if Cale88 Foods Corporation, a company that Carpio had interest in, maintains a foreign bank account with Security Bank. 

The witness says he is not in the position to confirm.

11:01 a.m. – Cham testifies on the ending balance of the account of Carpio with Security Bank from 2022 to 2025.

Photo courtesy: Senate10:59 a.m. – Cham says Duterte does not maintain any account with Security Bank. Carpio has two accounts, only one of which is active.

10:57 a.m. – Leslie Cham, Branch Banking Group Head of Security Bank, is called to the witness stand. 

Cham handles sales and service.

10:54 a.m. – Aguilar is excused from the witness stand.

10:51 a.m. – Aguilar confirms to Senator-judge Francis Pangilinan that Metrobank carefully scrutinizes the records before filing an STR.

10:50 a.m. – Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros asks Aguilar if they file a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) on a client if there is a negative news report about that client. 

Aguilar says they file an STR if they have identified a costumer to be the subject of negative media. She says the STR goes through her division and needs approval before filing with the AMLC. 

According to Aguilar, they conduct further review on the transaction and if warranted, file an additional STR.

10:42 a.m. – Alih ends his direct examination of Aguilar.  

Atty. Justin Gular, counsel for the respondent, says he has nothing to cross examine.

10:41 a.m. – Aguilar states the year-end balance of the active accounts with Metrobank from 2022 to 2025. 

Photo courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: Senate10:38 a.m. – Aguilar says Duterte, Carpio, and their children have six accounts with Metrobank; only three accounts are active.

10:34 a.m. – Atty. Niña Aguilar, Head of the Anti-Money Laundering Division of Metrobank, is called to the witness stand.  

She says she has access to all the records of the accounts which are subject of the subpoena.

Atty. Niña Aguilar, Metrobank Head of Anti-Money Laundering Division.
Photo courtesy: Senate10:32 a.m. – EARLIER: Gonzales confirms the year-end balance of Carpio’s AUB accounts from 2022 to 2025. 

Photo courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: Senate

10:31 a.m. – Ishida confirms that their records will not be able to determine the purpose of the amounts inside the accounts.  

She also says the bank records will not show whether funds in the accounts were held for another person or entity

10:29 a.m. – Alih ends his direct examination of Ishida.  

Atty. Lindon Bacquel, does the cross-examination.

10:27 a.m. – Ishida testifies on the ending balance of the account of Duterte — account ending in 3853 — and the account of Carpio — ending in 2107 — from the years 2022 to 2025. 

Photo courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: SenatePhoto courtesy: Senate

10:20 a.m. – Philippine Savings Bank (PS Bank) Branch Operations Department Head Irene Ishida is called to the witness stand.  

She says Duterte and Carpio have 10 accounts with them with only four active.

10:17 a.m. – Alih says they will be dispensing with two witnesses from AUB because the accounts in the Davao Tagum branch and Ortigas Greenhills branch are already closed.

10:15 a.m. – Alih ends his direct examination.  

Gonzales, in the cross-examination, confirms to Batungbacal that the bank did not see anything wrong with the transactions.

10:14 a.m. – Gonzales confirms the year-end balance of Carpio’s AUB accounts from 2022 to 2025. 

Photo courtesy: Senate10:12 a.m. – Gonzales says Atty. Manases Carpio, the husband of  Vice President Sara Duterte, have two accounts with them.  

He says Duterte is not a holder of these accounts.

10:07 a.m. – Atty. James Bryan Ibrahim Alih will do the direct examination for the panel of prosecutors. 

Atty. Roberto Batungbacal is the counsel for the respondent.

10:05 a.m. – Arcy James Gonzales, Branch Manager of The Asia United Bank (AUB) – Davao Toril branch, is called to the witness stand.

10:02 a.m. – Quorum is declared with 14 Senator-judges present. 

10 a.m. – Day 35 of the vice president’s impeachment trial is called to order.