MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin on Monday confirmed that he traveled to China on Jan. 25, 2026, as senator-judges questioned his frequent overseas trips and how he could afford them on a reported monthly salary of approximately P120,000.
During the 40th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Senator-Judge Raffy Tulfo questioned Adalin about his reported travels to China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Australia dating back to 2018.
“Where did you travel on January 25, 2026?” Tulfo asked.
Adalin said he checked with his office and confirmed that he had indeed traveled to China.
“I asked our office to verify it, and indeed, we traveled to China,” the assessor said.
Tulfo also asked Adalin about an alleged trip on Nov. 12, 2018. However, the witness said he could not recall having any record of that particular trip.
Tulfo said he could provide CCTV footage showing Adalin's alleged trip to China on Nov. 12, 2018, aboard flight PR356. He pointed out that the witness stayed in China for only two days.
The senator-judge also cited Adalin's reported trips to Hong Kong, Thailand and Australia, questioning how the department head could frequently travel abroad.
Meanwhile, Senator-Judge Risa Hontiveros pressed Adalin for more details about his January 2026 trip to China, including the places he visited and the people who accompanied him.
Adalin reiterated that he traveled to China with other Davao City government department heads. However, he said he could no longer remember the specific places they visited.
When Hontiveros asked him to name at least three places in China that he had visited, Adalin apologized and maintained that he could not recall them.
Asked whether he had visited Beijing, he replied, “I think we may have gone there.
