Forensic expert ‘not scared’ of possible legal penalties over Sara testimony
Forensic expert Atty. Alexander Cabrera took the witness stand on Monday, 12 October 2026, during the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to discuss his report that Duterte had P817.87 million in unexplained wealth from 2022 to 2025.
Aram Lascano / DAILY TRIBUNE
A forensic expert witness for the House prosecution panel said he remained unfazed by possible legal consequences over his handling of documents related to the financial accounts of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio.
“I’m not scared,” Atty. Alexander Cabrera said when asked about possible penalties for violating laws on the confidentiality of records, particularly those obtained from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The exchange came after Atty. Kristine Ferrer questioned Cabrera about his lack of authorization from the Senate impeachment court before taking possession of the documents.
During cross-examination, Ferrer said the witness could face imprisonment and fines, although she stressed that her remarks were not necessarily intended to scare the veteran lawyer.
Reiterating his position, Cabrera said he believed he could examine the documents because the issues had already been disclosed during hearings conducted by the House of Representatives.
“Since it was taken up by the House and it was deliberated by the House, that’s why I thought that it would be okay to accept it,” he told the court.
Cabrera also explained that his examination of bank records was based on the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which allows the use of such records to examine discrepancies involving a public official’s lawful income.
The lawyer added that his role in the trial was limited to examining and analyzing documents, rather than answering questions about how the records were obtained.
On Friday, 9 October, Cabrera testified that Duterte had alleged undeclared wealth amounting to P817.87 million from 2022 to 2025.
He said his findings were based on a thorough examination of financial records he received through the prosecution panel.
Cabrera served as the prosecution’s final witness for Article II and the entire impeachment case. The panel opted to drop its case alleging that Duterte bribed officials of the Department of Education to expedite the proceedings.