By Cliff Venzon | Updated on Oct 06, 2026 at 10:33 AM
The Philippines is investigating the national security implications of alleged inflows of more than 300 million pesos ($4.8 million) from China into a company associated with Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband.
Anti-Money Laundering Council Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura testified during Duterte’s impeachment trial that money from China was received by CALE88 Foods Corp., where her spouse Manases Carpio held a substantial stake until 2024. During cross examination, Buenaventura said records don’t show whether the money came from the Chinese government.
The vice president’s spokesperson said the testimony doesn’t confirm whether the money was illegally sourced. The Chinese embassy in Manila, in a statement, criticized similar allegations made by a former senator, calling them “malicious rhetoric and actions.”
Still, the National Security Council said Tuesday that it will direct intelligence and investigative agencies to assess whether Buenaventura’s testimony indicated possible national security risks.
“Any credible information involving significant foreign financial flows that may bear upon the country’s national security warrants careful, in-depth, and responsible assessment,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Oban said in a statement.
The issue emerged as the Senate impeachment court tackles allegations that Duterte did not fully declare all of her assets as well as those of her husband. Duterte is also facing charges of allegedly threatening the life of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and misusing public funds, allegations she denies.
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During this week’s trial, Buenaventura also testified that the vice president and her husband had 4.4 billion pesos worth of “suspicious” bank transactions from 2007 to 2025. A lawyer for Duterte told reporters that such “raw data” from the dirty money watchdog — without proper context for each transaction — can be misleading or inaccurate.
A guilty verdict by two-thirds of the senator-judges could lead to her ouster from office and a ban on running from public office, which would eliminate her from the 2028 presidential race, in which she’s a leading contender.
The vice president is a daughter of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte, who forged closer ties with China while often publicly criticizing the US, the Philippines’ long-time ally. Marcos has expanded military ties with Washington during his term, drawing criticism from Sara Duterte that the administration lacks independent foreign policy.