DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 November 2026) — Defense witness Engr. Jaime Adalin, head of the City Assessor’s Office, has failed to submit to the Senate impeachment court a list of properties owned by Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, in Davao City, Senate impeachment presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero said on Tuesday. Escudero added that Adalin also did not provide the name of the travel agency that facilitated their group trip to China earlier this year, directing the Clerk of Court to follow up on the matter. If not complied with by the next day, Escudero warned that the court would issue a compulsory process. The issue of Adalin’s China trip on January 15, 2026, along with other Davao City department heads, surfaced after House private prosecutor Atty. Jay Tolosa questioned his credibility during cross-examination on Monday. Senator-Judge Risa Hontiveros noted that Adalin had promised to submit the requested documents by Monday. Escudero reminded witnesses that their testimonies are under oath and could lead to criminal charges for perjury or contempt for untruthful statements. Senator-Judge Ping Lacson emphasized that Senate Resolution No. 39 grants the impeachment court the power to cite anyone for contempt, referencing Adalin’s behavior during his testimony. Senator-Judge Raffy Tulfo questioned Adalin about his trips to China on January 25, 2026, and November 12, 2018, as well as other international travels. Adalin claimed the trips were personal, but Tulfo warned that sponsorship by the Chinese government could raise concerns, especially given reports linking Carpio to shares in Cale88, which received ₱319 million in remittances from China and Hong Kong. The impeachment proceedings entered Day 40 on November 9.
