Chinese embassy denies funding political bloc in Phl

The Chinese Embassy in Manila debunked recent reports alleging that Beijing funded a certain political faction in the Philippines, deriding them as “fabricated” and “malicious,” designed to “smear” China.

Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng issued the statement on Monday, just days after former senator Sonny Trillanes explicitly tagged the embassy for funding Vice President Sara Duterte and her family through Cale88 Foods Corp., a banana chip company founded by her husband, Mans Carpio.

Trillanes alleged that the couple received about P319 million in remittances from the Chinese government through the corporation, on top of P150 million the embassy purportedly gave to a pro-Duterte alliance—Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines—as a donation.

The organization's board of trustees purportedly listed the VP and Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, wife of Senator Alan Cayetano, among others.

Without directly pointing fingers at Trillanes, the embassy “strongly condemn[s] and firmly oppose[s]” the allegations as “malicious rhetoric.”

“Attempts to achieve personal political gains by smearing and discrediting China and harming China's interests and image are doomed to fail, and will ultimately undermine the interests of the Philippines and its people,” the statement reads.

Ji also called for a “stop political manipulation” and urged relevant individuals to stop dragging China into Philippine domestic politics, which could harm bilateral relations.

The embassy also denounced claims that Cale88’s website redirects users directly to the Chinese embassy’s website when the link is clicked.

The VP’s camp categorically denied Trillanes’ fresh allegations and rejected them as recycled, designed to discredit, pin, and boost allegations of corruption and illicit money against Duterte amid her ongoing impeachment trial.

Cale88 was reportedly listed in Duterte’s SALN from 2022 to 2025. Carpio, meanwhile, was an incorporator, director, and shareholder from 2021 to 2024.

Trillanes pointed out red flags in the company's operations, such as sales purportedly increasing by P150 million despite its registration as a small-scale banana chip exporter.

In 2022, the corporation allegedly posted a meager P20,000 in sales, up from zero in 2021. Sales purportedly rose sharply in 2023 to P23 million and ballooned to P150 million in 2024.

He also flagged the corporation's average monthly electricity bill of P8,000. He argued that the amount does not accurately reflect the operations of a typical company.

Trillanes’ allegations have sparked calls for a sweeping probe amid national security concerns. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., a staunch critic of China, urged the former lawmaker to submit credible evidence to law enforcement agencies for a possible probe.