Ombudsman: No ‘political color’ in VP Sara probe

The Office of the Ombudsman assured the public Thursday that it would proceed in investigating the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of Vice President Sara Duterte with no consideration of any “political color.”

In its statement, the Ombudsman confirmed that it had received the referral from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) concerning Duterte’s SALNs along with some supporting documents regarding its findings.

The anti-graft body, for its part, said that the reports would undergo an “initial evaluation” in order to assess what the “appropriate action” would be to take with regards to the NBI’s records.

“The referral and its supporting documents will undergo an initial evaluation to determine the appropriate action, including whether further investigation is warranted, in accordance with established procedures and applicable laws,” the statement read.

Through a press conference on the same date, NBI Director Melvin Matibag maintained that its reports on the Vice President’s SALNs were not “gossip or hearsay,” affirming that their evidence was signed by Duterte and her husband Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio.

Matibag explained that one of the pertinent findings of their investigators were concerned with a property named “Prime Bistro” which was registered under Carpio.

Contrary to the P10 million acquisition cost that was stated on Duterte’s SALN, the NBI official said that the market value of the property sat at P82,000. It was on top of further findings with respect to the value of land that the company was built on.

To verify their findings, Matibag said that they had acquired Transfer Certificates of Tiles from the Land Registration Authority while also conducting a site visit for Prime Bistro.

The findings on the said company was included in the 178-page report that the NBI forwarded to the Ombudsman on Tuesday, 13 October.

The assets and net worth of the Duterte and Carpio couple has recently piqued public interest as it was part of the ongoing impeachment proceedings against her at the Senate.

There, a witness of prosecutors alleged that the Vice President had P817.87 million in unexplained wealth from a period between 2023 to 2025.

It was also found that Duterte had not declared cash on hand and cash in bank on her SALNs from 2019 to 2025 despite findings from the Anti-Money Laundering Council pointing to transactions that were made with her listed bank accounts.

Following the conclusion of prosecutors of their presentation of evidence, the opportunity to present counter evidence shifts to her defense lawyers with presiding officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero setting 9 November for them to call their first witness.