MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin, a defense witness in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, on Monday admitted he could not establish whether a 379-square-meter property in Matina Crossing acquired by her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, was the same residential lot declared in her 2024 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
Under questioning by Senator-judge Bam Aquino during the 40th day of the impeachment trial, Adalin acknowledged that he had not checked all the properties registered under Duterte and Carpio’s names in Barangay 74-A, Davao City, and could not determine how many properties the couple owned in the area.
Aquino asked whether the city assessor’s office inspected all the properties allegedly belonging to the couple in Barangay 74-A or had only checked the particular lot covered by the Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) ending in 0775.
“Did you check all of Vice President Sara’s properties in Barangay 74-A? Or did you only check this particular lot? Did you check how many properties she actually has in Barangay 74-A?” Aquino asked.
Adalin replied: “I did not check them anymore because the subpoena [issued by the impeachment court] already specified the particular title ending in 0775.”
Aquino pointed out that without checking the assessor’s records for the entire barangay, Adalin could not establish whether the property covered by the subpoena was the couple’s only property in the area.
“So you cannot say that? Because if you had checked, you could have said that she owns only one propertyin Barangay 74-A. You cannot say that now?” Aquino asked.
“No, I cannot," Adalin admitted.
