Defense's witness threatened with contempt for evasiveness in 'China-funded trip'

A Davao City assessor drew the ire of senator-judges at the resumption of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday after being perceived as “evasive” when asked about an all-expenses-paid trip to China, prompting lawmakers to threaten possible contempt.

Day 40 of the trial took a tense turn after private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa asked Engr. Jaime Adalin whether he was among the Davao officials who went to China in November last year, sponsored by the Chinese consulate.

Tolosa propounded the question in an attempt to establish Adalin’s personal connections with Duterte, accusing him of being highly evasive in answering questions about the properties listed by the VP as assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

“I think that’s irrelevant,” Adalin answered, drawing laughter in the Senate impeachment court. “Actually, I really cannot recall.”

However, Tolosa did not buy it, since the supposed trip had been barely a year ago.

“Your Honor, this is a probing question. I think it’s been clear how evasive this witness has been,” the prosecutor stressed.

Adalin was the defense’s first witness for Article 2, which accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth and undeclared properties. He entered the Davao City local government during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s stint as mayor and was subsequently promoted to city assessor in 2017, after the VP succeeded her father.

Credibility tested

Senator-judge Tito Sotto chimed in, saying Tolosa’s question is “important” to gauge Adalin’s credibility, warning that if he remained headstrong in his refusal, the impeachment court would tap the Bureau of Immigration to verify.

Immediately after, Adalin eased up and said he could not recall only the trip date, but after Escudero pressed him further on whether that amounted to an admission, he said with a chuckle, “Maybe.”

“Again, I don’t have the record. “You don’t memorize all your trips, do you?” he jested.

His response, however, irked Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo and threatened him with contempt for “fooling around” and turning his testimony into a “farce.”

Similarly, Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo shared the prosecution’s and his colleagues’ observation, accusing Adalin of “lying through his teeth.”

Raffy pointed to Adalin’s explanation that some commercial properties could be classified as residential, depending on the actual use, despite the establishment occupying the lot registered to Duterte’s husband, Atty. Mans Carpio, is obviously a restaurant named “Prime Bistro.”

“It explicitly says Prime Bistro. In other words, it’s a business, a dining [establishment]. So, you set up a dining area and put up a sign, only to use the place as sleeping quarters? That is what this witness seems to be implying,” he argued.

Carpio as registered owner

Adalin’s testimony centered on tax declarations concerning the real property covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) 146-2024010775. The defense called him to dispute the prosecution’s allegation that Duterte did not declare the property in her SALNs, in violate of the law.

Several tax declarations issued and signed by Adalin himself showed that Carpio was the registered owner of the property.

The witness testified that the property covered by TCT 146-2024010775 is the same property listed in Duterte's 2024 and 2025 SALNs.

The 370 square meter-property is located in Juna Subdivision, Matina Crossing, Talomo, Davao, with an assessed value of P82,046 and a market value of P1.86 million, a TCT dated 1 August 2024 showed.

After an hour-long break, Adalin confirmed that the China trip took place in late January this year, but said he could not recall their itinerary.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but this really isn’t funny because it is simply unbelievable that an engineer and city assessor, who supposedly understands the maps presented by both the defense and the prosecution, cannot even recall where in such a vast country he went,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros's verification revealed that Adalin flew from Manila to Beijing on 25 January and back to Manila from Shanghai on 30 January.

Adalin said the trip was personal and not facilitated or sponsored, though he noted it was a group trip with department heads in Davao LGU. He denied that incumbent Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte or the VP accompanied them.

Raffy questioned Adalin’s frequent travel abroad, such as to Hong Kong, Thailand, and Australia, dating back to 2018.

He said it is crucial to establish whether these trips, including those undertaken with groups, were indeed not sponsored by China and not facilitated by Davao LGU, citing P319.32 million in inward remittances from China and Hong Kong to Cale88 Food Corp., a firm partly owned by Carpio.

The Duterte family has been accused of having financial ties with China, an allegation they denied.