Sara, Mans' longtime friend testifies on P200K credit charge

Atty. Anel Martin S. Antero, a longtime friend of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, took the witness stand for the defense during the 43rd day of Duterte’s impeachment trial on Thursday, 12 November.

Antero testified about his trip to Japan with Carpio on 19 May 2023, particularly the circumstances surrounding a ₱205,007.29 credit card charge at Ginza Inakaya Tokyo.

“ I am aware of the dinner that took place in Ginza, Tokyo. I was present there,” Antero said during direct examination by defense counsel Atty. Lindon Miguel Bacquel.

Antero said he was among 11 people who traveled to Japan, including Carpio, whose credit card was used to pay for their dinner.

“Kami po ang nagbayad, nag-ambag-ambag po kami. It just so happened na iyong credit card po ni Atty. Carpio yung ginamit,” he said, explaining that some members of the group had run out of cash.

Carpio had maintained that the charges were personal expenses paid using his own funds and were not connected to Duterte.

Prosecution counsel Atty. Amando Ligutan questioned whether Antero had brought cash for the trip, given the group's reliance on Carpio's credit card.

Antero earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of the Philippines and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Far Eastern University – Institute of Law.

He was a founding partner of Mendoza Antero & Associates from 2008 to 2011 and later served as city legal officer of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, from 2010 to 2016, and Meycauayan, Bulacan, from 2016 to 2019.