Padilla turns luxury car spotlight on prosecutors

Senator-judge Robin Padilla challenged the prosecutors in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Thursday to apply the same standards of modest living they were demanding of the accused, telling them to examine their own ranks before questioning a P256,882 Nike shoes purchase by the Vice President’s husband, lawyer Mans Carpio.

Padilla raised the issue during the cross-examination of defense witness Chadrin Parian, challenging private prosecutor Reynaldo Robles to identify members of the prosecution team who owned luxury vehicles worth P16 million to P22 million, including a black Mercedes Benz wagon.

Robles said he was not privy to such information.

“Maybe we should look at our colleagues first before we bark,” Padilla said. He argued that the constitutional prohibition against lavish lifestyles should apply equally to all public officials, including the lawmakers prosecuting Duterte.

Padilla also urged Congress to pass the Freedom of Information bill, saying transparency would help expose officials who fail to comply with requirements for modest living and the disclosure of assets.

The exchange followed questions about Carpio’s purchase of Nike shoes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for Elite Philippines, a children’s basketball team that includes his and Parian’s children.

Parian testified that Carpio bought the shoes as a reward for the team that won an international tournament in June 2025. Other parents, he said, also took turns shouldering the team’s expenses.

Cayetano defends parents

Carpio’s credit card transactions have been scrutinized in the impeachment trial amid allegations of unexplained wealth, undisclosed business interests in statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, and remittances from China.

Senator-judge Pia Cayetano rebuked the prosecution for questioning the purchase, asking whether public officials should be discouraged from supporting their children’s development through sports.

“Is it the prosecution’s intention to make a parent relinquish their parental duty in terms of rearing their child in the manner they feel is the best to promote character, leadership, teamwork, just because one of the parents becomes a public official?” she asked Robles.

Cayetano said the scrutiny could discourage parents and sports advocates from helping young athletes. “If people like us who have the means to help will be embarrassed to help because you will just flag us for doing so,” she said.

Robles also noted that the team and the parents traveled to South Korea, Singapore, and Japan for tournaments between June 2025 and February 2026.

Parian said sponsors paid for the players’ airfare and accommodations, although he did not know their identities.

Reimbursed

Earlier, defense witness Atty. Anel Martin Antero testified that a P205,007.29 restaurant bill in Japan covered a meal for 11 people.

Carpio paid with his credit card, but the others later reimbursed him their shares. The prosecution questioned the absence of photographs or bank transfers documenting the reimbursements.

The 43rd day of the trial lasted less than three hours after Senator-judges Miguel Zubiri and Joel Villanueva urged the prosecutors to move beyond the credit card transactions and focus on the alleged dealings between Carpio-linked firms and China.