Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records showed PHP319.33 million in inward remittances from mainland China and Hong Kong to Cale88 Foods Corporation, where Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, held a 47.5 percent interest through 2024.
Cale88 was among the business interests and financial connections declared in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) under her husband.
AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura confirmed the PHP319,326,770.41 aggregate before the Senate impeachment court Monday during his direct examination by private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia.
“’Yung aggregate amount po na nakalagay sa letter C, aggregate page P na may subtotal A, ang naka-indicate po sa aming tabular summary po ay (The aggregate amount shown in letter C, aggregate page P, with subtotal A, as indicated in our tabular summary is) PHP319,326,770.41 po, Your Honor, based on the records, our tabular summary record, Your Honor,” Buenaventura testified.
The AMLC summary showed PHP315.94 million in inward remittances from mainland China through 141 covered transaction reports (CTRs) and three suspicious transaction reports (STRs).
Another PHP3.39 million from Hong Kong was covered by two CTRs, bringing the combined amount to PHP319.33 million.
Buenaventura said all three STRs carried the same stated reason for being reported as suspicious.
“There is no underlying legal or trade obligation, purpose or economic justification,” he read from each entry.
Buenaventura also identified several individual international inward remittances to Cale88 involving China-based counterparties.
One transaction reported by Security Bank Corp.-Davao Rizal on Dec. 16, 2024 amounted to USD75,207, equivalent to PHP4.397 million at that time. The record identified the counterparty as Yiwu Yunong Import and Export, with an address in China.
Another inward remittance reported by Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) on Oct. 31, 2024 amounted to PHP5.656 million. The counterparty was identified in the record as Jin Hua Dong Xi Trading Co. Ltd.
Buenaventura also identified a PHP5.663-million inward remittance on April 30, 2022, with China National Township listed as the counterparty.
A separate international inward remittance reported by BPI on April 30, 2024 amounted to PHP5.663 million.
“RIRC po ay (is) inward remittance international credit to beneficiary’s account,” Buenaventura said in explaining the transaction code used for the remittances.
Divinagracia told the court that prosecutors would dispense with questions on the remaining individual transactions from China because they were already reflected in the AMLC summary.
“There are several other transactions coming from China involving Cale88. But to abbreviate the proceedings, I will be dispensing with the questions relating to those transactions,” she said.
The AMLC summary showed total foreign inward remittances to Cale88 of PHP368.84 million through 178 CTRs and three STRs, including the PHP319.33 million from mainland China and Hong Kong.
Carpio’s ownership of Cale88 had earlier been established through Securities and Exchange Commission records presented by the House prosecution.
SEC records showed his ownership increased from 40 percent to 47.5 percent and remained at 47.5 percent from 2022 through 2024.
The prosecution is presenting the Cale88 transactions under Article II of the impeachment case, which accuses Duterte of unexplained wealth and failure to fully disclose her assets and financial interests.
The House prosecution is seeking to establish Duterte’s and Carpio’s financial interests and trace transactions involving companies declared in her SALNs as part of its effort to compare their financial activity with the assets and interests disclosed by the Vice President. (PNA)