Defense Witness Admits Close Ties to VP Sara Duterte in Impeachment Trial
Defense witness Anel Antero acknowledged a long-standing personal and professional relationship with Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, during an impeachment trial hearing on Thursday.
Anel Martin S. Antero is part of the legal teams of both Duterte and Carpio, and he regularly receives compensation from the couple for his legal services.
Challenging Witness Credibility
Lawyer Anel Antero took the stand to dispute claims regarding credit card transactions flagged by the prosecution. During cross-examination, prosecution counsel Amando Virgil Ligutan questioned the witness regarding his ties to the couple to test his independence and potential bias. Antero confirmed he has been friends with the vice president since 2004 and met Carpio in law school in 1998.
“Long-time friend, yes sir,” Antero replied.
Antero confirmed that a picture shown in a Facebook post took place after the victory of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Ligutan asked if Antero appeared visiting Carpio in Davao City on August 12, 2017, as shown in another Facebook post, and if he met Carpio and some persons at the Shangri-La the Fort Manila on September 20, 2017, both of which Antero confirmed. Antero also stated, “We are friends, I support her, what she represents, yes sir.”
Bacquel asked, “Before the flashing of the document, may we know the relevance of the Facebook account at this early stage of the cross examination?” Ligutan maintained that examining the witness’s background is essential to test freedom from bias and interest. Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero ultimately permitted the questions.
Tracing Flagged Transactions
The testimony addresses credit card transactions previously detailed by financial forensic analyst Alexander Cabrera under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment. That article involves allegations of unexplained wealth and unlisted assets in the vice president’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.
Cabrera flagged several purchases as unusual banking behavior, including a P200,007.29 meal at Ginza Inakaya Tokyo in Japan.
Other flagged items involve two purchases on December 27, 2025 at a Davao City Nike store worth P93,750.00 and P205,392.00, a P256,882.50 purchase at a Kuala Lumpur Nike store, and two transactions at a Shibuya Don Quijote shop for P62,900.95 and P65,877.64. The defense sought to prove these expenses involved multiple individuals and were settled by the travelers.
Prosecutors Challenge Lifestyle Claims
Public prosecutors argued that spending hundreds of thousands of pesos on shoes and dining does not align with a simple lifestyle. Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said that ordinary Filipinos do not buy shoes worth P200,000.
“I did not know that Japanese food could be that expensive,” public prosecutor and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said during the proceedings.
Antero confirmed he has received funds from Carpio through the latter’s law firm for legal services, though he could not recall specific figures presented by the prosecution.