MANILA — Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative Leila de Lima clarified on Tuesday that the true issue surrounding Vice President Sara Duterte is not business engagements with China, but rather millions of pesos in suspicious financial inflows directed toward a firm linked to her husband.
The controversy centers on ₱319 million in cash remittances flagged by banks and forwarded to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). These transactions reportedly went to a banana chip business co-owned by Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio, the Vice President’s husband.
Following the discovery, the Senate impeachment court issued a subpoena for AMLC records concerning financial accounts tied to Duterte and Carpio.
De Lima asserted that public scrutiny should remain fixed on the questionable funds and the Vice President’s stance on national sovereignty rather than commercial ties.
“Huwag ilihis ang issue. Ang talagang nakakabahala ay pagkakaroon ng Pangalawang Pangulo, na nag-aambisyon maging Pangulo, na todo tahimik sa panghaharass ng China sa ating mga mangingisda at pangangamkam nito sa ating teritoryo,” De Lima said in a social media post.
“Nakakabahala ang nabunyag na nakatanggap ang kompanyang konektado sa Pangalawang Pangulo at sa kanyang asawa ng ₱319 milyong piso mula sa ilang state-owned enterprises ng China. Nakakabahala ang halos isang bilyong piso niyang unexplained wealth,” she added.
The issue surfaced after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raised concerns regarding the remittances sent by Chinese state-owned enterprises to Cale88 Foods Corporation.
In response, Vice President Duterte defended commercial interactions, questioning whether trade relations with Beijing had officially escalated into national security concerns.
“Nakakabahala ito na manggaling yung ganyang pahayag mula kay (Marcos) dahil parang inamin na rin niya na simula noong 2023 ay itinuring nila akong threat… Pangalawa, nakakabahala ito dahil parang sinasabi niya na iyung mga nagnenegosyo na may trade sa China ay threat din sa bansa,” Duterte stated.
“So ano ba talaga? Bawal ba talaga magnegosyo with China kasi it’s a national security risk?” she asked.