Sara witness admits China trip with Davao officials after grilling

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte's first defense witness admitted Monday, November 9 that he traveled to China with several Davao City officials in January 2026, after senator-judges confronted him with travel records.

Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin confirmed that the city engineer, city treasurer and a city administrator joined the trip, for which they had obtained official travel authorities.

Senator-judges Raffy Tulfo and Risa Hontiveros had challenged Adalin's recollection of his overseas travels. Kiko Pangilinan separately questioned inconsistencies in his testimony about properties linked to Duterte's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Prosecution counsel Benjamin Tolosa had described the China visit as an "all-expense-paid trip."

Adalin initially struggled to recall details of his travels, prompting Tulfo to read from his travel records.

"Jan. 25, 2026, saan ka bumiyahe?" Tulfo asked. ("Where did you travel on Jan. 25, 2026?")

"Indeed, nag-travel po kami sa China," Adalin replied. ("Indeed, we traveled to China.")

Tulfo also cited Adalin's other foreign trips, including a November 2018 visit to China and travels to Hong Kong, Thailand and Australia.

He questioned how Adalin, who earns around P120,000 a month as a local government department head, could afford frequent overseas travel, including a 2023 trip to Australia with a relative.

Adalin maintained that his travels were funded with "personal money," but could not recall the travel agency that arranged the group's bookings.

"Yan ka na naman nagkakaroon ka ng amnesia," Tulfo said. ("There you go again, having amnesia.")

Hontiveros also confronted Adalin with flight records and questioned how a city assessor familiar with complex property maps could not remember where he had traveled in China just 10 months ago.

Adalin attributed his poor recollection to not being "keen on traveling."

Under Hontiveros' questioning, he confirmed that other Davao City officials accompanied him on the January 2026 trip but denied that Duterte was among them.

Pangilinan separately questioned Adalin's credibility after the witness gave differing answers about a property linked to Duterte's SALN.

"Just just a observation that clearly there are inconsistencies in your testimony. Forgive me, engineer but you say one thing and then you say another thing," Pangilinan said.

"So we are wondering ano ba talaga ang totoo sa sinasabi mo?" he added. ("So we are wondering, what is really true about what you're saying?")

Adalin initially said with certainty that a property covered by a transfer certificate of title ending in 0775 was the same residential lot declared in Duterte's SALN.

But when confronted with street-view photographs showing Prime Bistro operating at the property, Adalin said he was "not sure" whether it was the same site.

After the lunch break, Adalin said he had verified the property with his staff and could now confirm that it was the same lot.

Adalin was called as the defense's first witness to testify about property records relevant to Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which includes allegations that Duterte failed to fully disclose her assets and liabilities.

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