House Prosecutors Eye Records of VP-Linked Group Over China Donations

House prosecutors handling the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte are examining financial records linked to the Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines after Senator-Judge Bam Aquino raised questions during the October 6, 2026 proceedings regarding possible donations from the Chinese government.

Impeachment Proceedings Focus on Tapang at Malasakit Alliance Records

During the impeachment trial session on October 6, 2026, Aquino asked House prosecution counsel Mae Divinagracia whether prosecutors would move to obtain financial records belonging to the Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines. We are considering it, Your Honor, Divinagracia replied on record.

According to a prosecution statement issued on October 6, 2026, the alliance—which was led by Duterte during her term as Davao City mayor—received a ₱150-million donation from the Chinese government in 2018 intended for constructing 13 school buildings in Davao City. Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV called renewed attention to the funding during an October 2, 2026 news conference, presenting documents tying the funds to entities connected with the Vice President and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.

Ronel Buenaventura, executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) secretariat, testified before the impeachment court that records concerning the Tapang at Malasakit Alliance were not included among those covered by the subpoenas issued to the council.

AMLC Details Inward Remittances to Cale88 Foods Corp

Senator-Judge Risa Hontiveros detailed how specific Chinese companies—including China National Township Enterprises, which operates under China’s State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and Beijing Zhenweifang Food Company, backed by Xinjiang Fruit Industry Group—sent funds to the corporation. Of that total, ₱315.93 million arrived from mainland China, while ₱3.39 million originated from Hong Kong.

House prosecution spokesperson and former Representative Robert Ace Barbers defended the integrity of the banking data during an October 2026 press briefing. The figures don’t lie. The figures prove that there really was money from China that entered a corporation registered here [in the Philippines]. This is Cale88, Barbers said.

Chinese Embassy Denial Prompts Counter-Responses From House Prosecutors

The Chinese Embassy in Manila rejected allegations that Beijing funneled funds to a Philippine political faction, labeling the claims a false narrative and urging politicians to avoid dragging domestic politics into bilateral relations.

We strongly condemn and firmly oppose such malicious rhetoric and actions. We urge the relevant individuals in the Philippines to stop political manipulation and not to drag Philippine domestic politics into China-Philippines relations.

Chinese Embassy in Manila

Despite the embassy’s rejection, private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr. stated that the official banking data compiled by government institutions outweighs diplomatic denials. I’ll always believe the official records of our own government and their own banking institutions versus the claims of the Chinese government, Tolosa said.

Meanwhile, Duterte’s spokesperson, lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., argued that the AMLC director could not confirm that any funds linked to the Vice President were illegally sourced or personally owned, noting that the Chinese donation was given to the alliance as an organization rather than to Duterte personally.

National Security Council and Impeachment Court Schedule Next Steps

The financial inflows have drawn broader government scrutiny beyond the impeachment proceedings. National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Oban Jr. announced on October 6, 2026, that the National Security Council would review the national security implications of the reported foreign financial flows linked to entities associated with Duterte and Carpio.

The House prosecution team continues to present evidence regarding financial disclosures and unexplained wealth under the second article of impeachment against Duterte, with further AMLC testimony and deliberation scheduled before the Senate impeachment court.