October 1, 2026

The Senate President, the Presiding Officer, and Senator-Judges of the Impeachment Court.

Sergeant at Arms is directed to

make a proclamation.

All persons are commanded to keep silent under pain of penalty while the Impeachment Court is in session for the trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte.

The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte is hereby called to order. We shall be led in prayer by Senator-Judge Kiko Pangilinan.

Ilagay natin ang ating mga sarili sa harap ng Panginoon. Ngayong tatlumpu?t pangalawang araw ng impeachment trial, naway maging gabay nating lahat ang salita ng Diyos mula sa Proverbs 18:5. Hindi mabuting magpakita ng pagkiling sa masama o ipagkait ang katarungan sa matuwid. It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice. Panginoon Diyos ng katarungan, katotohanan, at katapatan, dalangin namin ang kalinawan ng isip at katatagan ng paninindigan. Tulungan niyo po kaming maging patas ang aming mga pagsusuri sa bawat ebidensya at testigong inihaharap sa impeachment court na ito. Naway maging gabay din ng lahat ang Proverbs 12:22 Namumuhi si Yahweh sa mga taong sinungaling, ngunit ang tapat ay ligaya niya at aliw. The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy. Kalugdan mo o Diyos ang aming inang bayang Pilipinas na uhaw sa katotohanan, katarungan, pananagutan. Look with favor O God, upon our motherland,

the

Philippines, a nation that thirsts for truth and justice. Amen.

The Clerk of Court will now call the roll.

Roll call of members. Senator-Judge Aquino, Senator-Judge Cayetano Alan, Senator-Judge Cayetano Pia, Senator-Judge Dela Rosa, Senator-Judge Ejercito, Senator-Judge Estrada, Senator-Judge Go, Senator-Judge Hontiveros, Senator-Judge Lacson, Senator-Judge Lapid, Senator-Judge Legarda, Senator-Judge Marcoleta, Senator-Judge Marcos, Senator-Judge Padilla, Senator-Judge Pangilinan, Senator-Judge Sotto III, Senator-Judge Tulfo Erwin, Senator-Judge Tulfo Raffy, Senator-Judge Villanueva, Senator-Judge Villar Camille, Senator-Judge Villar Mark, Senator-Judge Zubiri, the presiding officer, Senator-Judge Escudero, the Senate President, Senator-Judge Gatchalian.

With 13 senator-judges present, the chair declares the presence of a quorum.

In accordance with the rules of procedure on impeachment trials, the chair now recognizes the duly elected presiding officer to preside over the proceedings of the impeachment court.

Thank you, Mr. Senate President. If there are no objections, we shall dispense with the reading of the September 29, 2026 Journal of the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, and shall consider the same as approved.

The Clerk of Court will please read, rather, call the case before the impeachment court.

Case number 004-2026 in the matter of impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte.

Appearances of the parties.

Good morning, Your Honor. Same appearance for the prosecution, Your Honor. We are ready.

Good morning, Your Honor. Same appearance for the respondent accused.

Thank you. Good morning, Honorable Luistro. Good morning, Attorney Poa. I hope, like the Senator-Judges, you were able to... Get some rest and respite from the procedural pause that we had yesterday. Yes, what is the pleasure of the Honorable Luistro?

We wish to manifest Your Honor that we will be beginning our presentation with the two LRA witnesses for this morning and in the afternoon, Your Honor, it will be the AMLC Executive Director.

And tomorrow? So that we can prepare the subpoenas?

We will be manifesting the witness for tomorrow, Your Honor, this afternoon before we adjourn.

Okay, but you already submitted a request for subpoena.

I believe, Your Honor, that's for the representatives of banks and insurance companies for next week, Your Honor.

Kindly look into it as well, Honorable Luistro, because we will be having, this is our first whole day trial. Tomorrow will be for one whole day too.

I'd rather have more witnesses in line than lacking witnesses and having to adjourn early. So you might want to add more witnesses for tomorrow and deduct it from your Monday witness list.

We will do, Your Honor, before the adjournment today.

If possible, after we resume.

Yes, Your Honor.

After we resume. After lunch. After we resume, after the lunch recess.

We submit, Your Honor.

So we can issue the subpoena.

Yes, Your Honor.

Your Honor.

Yes, Attorney Poa.

May we just respectfully request from our colleagues in the prosecution panel to just give us the list of the order of their witnesses as to be presented just so, Your Honor, we have fair notice and we are able to prepare for these witnesses.

So today, who is the first witness?

We will be presenting the two LRA witnesses first, Your Honor.

Who is the first?

Your Honor, at this juncture, may I respectfully request that my colleague, my co-public prosecutor, Congressman Keith Flores be recognized so that he can address the questions concerning the first witnesses to be presented.

Of course, the Honorable Flores is recognized.

Your Honor, excuse me, Your Honor.

Yes.

But as to our request for the order of witnesses, I hope that will also include...

At least for today, can we get that order? And can we get the order for tomorrow as well as for next week after lunch? Can we have the order for today, Honorable Flores?

Yes, Your Honor. We will be presenting the two LRA representatives, Your Honor.

Again,

who will go first? You have two LRAs.

Yes, we will be calling first Attorney Cathy Florence Baldonado, Your Honor.

of Davao City, followed by Attorney Pineda of the City of Samal.

Yes, sir.

And thereafter, the MLC, if you still have time.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

Thank you,

Your Honor. Thank you. That is all.

Would that be satisfactory, Attorney Paul?

Yes, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor.

And then after lunch, we get to hear the sequence for Friday and for Monday.

Thank you, Your Honor. We appreciate that.

As well as the other witnesses, they are asking the issuance of a subpoena against... You've received the request for subpoena, Attorney Poa?

Yes, your honor. We confirmed receipt last night at 8.40 p.m.

Okay. We have a fresh start for today then. Attorney, or rather, Honorable Flores, kindly call your first witness. It's Attorney Cathy Florence

Baldonado, your honor.

Yes. The clerk. Yes, Attorney Poa?

Your Honor, may I turn over the proceedings to our co-counsel, Attorney Lindon Bacquel, for this witness, Your Honor. Attorney Lindon.

While we're calling the witness, Attorney Lindon, would you like the Apple box or platform?

Good morning, Your Honor. No need, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor.

What is the pleasure of Senator-Judge Tulfo?

Mr. Presiding Officer, my question pertains to the witness, Attorney Trillanes, if he's going to be presented tomorrow? or the day after tomorrow, or I don't know, next week. Is he going to be presented as witness?

Mr. Trillanes?

Honorable Flores, can you respond to the query of the Honorable Tulfo?

Your Honor, we will be informing the Court after lunch, Your Honor, once we get our business in order, Your Honor.

Hindi

pa po natin iniisuan ng subpoena ang dating senador na si Senator Sonny Trillanes.

Ba't napag-usapan na ba na kung siya ay papayagan o hindi?

As stated

by the court yesterday, given the motion for the issuance of subpoena predicated upon the presentation and evidence of AMLC and or bank records, The court declined to issue the subpoena without prejudice to the prosecution calling him and to appear voluntarily as a witness. However, given the sequence of presentation of the witnesses to be announced by the counsel, rather by the Honorable Flores from the panel of prosecutors, the court may issue that subpoena after it hears the sequence and that it is in order in line with the motion for the request of the subpoena earlier filed.

Correct. Kasi kung kukuning witness si former Senator Trillanes, much better kung mauna muna siya bago ang AMLA. Kasi yung mga sasabihin ni Mr. Trillanes, may kinalaman sa mga bank accounts na kanyang nakalap long time ago. So kung meron siya mga ibubulgar na mga bank accounts, mga pera, pumasok labas sa accounts na nakuha niya sa kanyang source, then after makausap natin si Senator Trillanes, Iko-confirm yun ang AMLA. So dapat mauna muna si Trillanes, Mr. Trillanes, and then AMLA. Hindi pwede yung AMLA and then Trillanes.

What do you think, Prosecutor?

Let's allow the Prosecutors, Senator-Judge Tulfo, to decide on that after lunch, as they said. Kasi

kuminsan, yung prosecution, sorry, pumapalpak-palpak kayo. There are times na naglalagay kayo ng mga witnesses dito na hindi naman kailangan talaga. Nagsasayang lang tayo ng oras. Nakikita naman yung mga senador inaantok. Yung iba pa na yung punta ng CR kasi wala eh. Parang useless eh. Di ba? So kukuha kayo ng witness. Make sure na talaga yung witness na yun. Merong masasabing bagay na makatulong sa ginagawa ng investigasyon dito sa impeachment. [unclear] kinuha na pinagtatawanan tuloy. Napapa-cute lang habang may kinakausap na witness na polis, etc. So, ingat kayo sa pagkukuha ng mga witness at ingat kayo sa pagsasalan ng mga abogado ninyo dyan.

We will take due notice and consider the advice of the Senator-Judge. Thank you very much.

The remarks of the Honorable Tulfo are noted and the Prosecutor shall take it in advisement. Clerk is directed to kindly call and situate to the witness stand, Attorney Kathy Florence M. Baldonado.

The Clerk is directed to administer the oath.

Ma'am, please raise your right hand. You, Cathy Florence M. Baldonado, do swear that the evidence you shall give in the case now pending between the Philippines and Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help me God.

Yes, sir.

Attorney Cathy, naunawaan niyo po ang inyong pinanumpaan kaugnay ng pagbigay niyo ng inyong testimonya ngayong umaga sa hukuman ito?

Opo, Your Honor.

Salamat po. Kindly make your offer, Honorable Keith.

Thank you, Your Honor. Your Honor, the testimony of this witness is offered to prove the following. Number one, that the witness is the Register of Deeds of Davao City. Number two, that based on official records, there is a property covering 379 square meters in Barangay Matina, Davao City, registered under the name of Attorney Manases Carpio, married to Vice President Sara Duterte. Number three, that based on the deed of sale in the official record of the Register of Deeds, the property was purchased at 6 million pesos. 4. Until today,

the

property remains to be registered in the name of Atty. Manases Carpio, married to Vice President Sara Duterte, according to the official record of the Registry of Deeds. 5. All other matters relevant to Article 2 on unexplained wealth, false SALNs, and continued business interests. This witness, Your Honor, is one of the several prosecution witnesses who will establish that there were undeclared properties with the Vice President.

Pero sa ordinaryang Pilipino po, malaking halaga na to ang 6 million pesos.

Atty. Lindon?

Good morning, Your Honor.

Good morning.

It is our position that the testimony of Atty. Baldonado is irrelevant, Your Honor, considering that in the articles of impeachment, there's no specific allegation as regards any particular real property which was not... Allegedly not disclosed in any of the SALN of the Vice President, Your Honor. As recently ruled by this honorable court, the impeachment is highly penal in character and thus the Bill of Rights apply in all stages of the proceedings. Without any specific allegations in the articles of impeachment, the presentation of The testimony of a witness would violate the respondent's right to be informed of the nature and cause of the allegations against him, Your Honor. Nonetheless, all the purposes are subject to cross-examination.

Brief rejoinder, Honorable Keith.

Your Honor, we clearly mentioned in Article 2, particularly Paragraph B of the Articles of Impeachment, Your Honor, that one of the allegations is that the Vice President failed to disclose in her SALN all of her properties, Your Honor, and that it was impossible for us to have known of this property simply because it was not disclosed in the SALN, Your Honor.

If I may, Your Honor, a brief rejoinder.

Brief rejoinder, Attorney Lindon.

Your Honor, the particular portion referred to by the prosecution are mere conclusions, Your Honor, particularly because in the articles of impeachment, the reference was only made to salaries, alleged business interests, and alleged suspicious and covert transactions, Your Honor, without mentioning any particular real property, Your Honor. So it is our position that the testimony of Atty. Baldonado would be irrelevant, Your Honor.

The objection on relevance of Atty. Lindon is duly noted and will likewise note the continuing objection after the Court makes a ruling allowing the testimony of this witness given that the prosecution is not bound to so attach in its complaint or impeachment complaint any and all pieces of evidence it shall be presenting to prove. This particular article on ill-gotten or unexplained wealth. Would you like to note your continuing objection, Atty. Lindon?

We do, Your Honor. Thank you.

So noted. Atty. Keith, Hon. Keith, you may proceed with your witness.

Thank you, Your Honor. Atty. Baldonado, can you please state your full name and your position for the record?

Ako po si Atty. Cathy Florence Baldonado, ang kasalukuyang Register of Deeds ng Davao City po.

What is the mandate of the Register of Deeds?

Ako po bilang Register of Deeds ay nagre-rehistro o nagtatala po ng mga instrumento, mga dokumento po, or kasulatan regarding po ng mga real properties, particularly ang lupa po. At kami po yung nag-i-issue ng katibayan ng titulo at kami din po yung mga nagsi-safekeep or nagtatago ng mga records kaugnay dito po.

Can you tell us why you're here today, Atty. Baldonado?

Nakatanggap po ako ng subpoena po.

And ano naman po ang sinabi ng subpoena na natanggap niya?

Ang subpoena ko po ay maging witness ngayong araw na ito at meron din pong pinadala sa aking mga dokumento po.

Sa naaalala ko po, ang hinihingi po ay isang certified true copy at tatlong USB drive ng mga dokumentong hawak ko po.

Ano po yung mga dokumento specifically na dala ninyo ngayon?

If I may, Your Honor, pwede ko pong tingnan isa-isa yung aking...

You may proceed, Attorney.

Ang certified true copy po ng Transfer Certificate of Title Bilang 146-2024-010775.

Ang deed of sale,

real property tax clearance,

official receipt ng transfer tax, certification, tax on transfer of real property ownership, ang tax declaration ng land at ng building nito. At ang e-car, pati na rin po itong nakanselang titulo kung saan ang galing itong transfer certificate of title number 146-2024010775.

Your Honor, may we ask for copies of the documents brought by the witness?

Yes. Attorney, Atty. Cathy, yung USB po niyong dala, yung po ang naglalaman, yung mga dokumentong binanggit ninyo?

Yes po, Your Honor.

Yung hard copy po, yan yung certified true copy?

Yes po, Your Honor.

Can you turn over please the USB so that tatlo po ang dala po ninyo?

Yes, Your Honor. At yung isa po ay naibigay ko na po kanina po sa Clerk of Court.

We will be printing it. Clerk of Court is directed to print the same and immediately furnish a copy to the Counsel for Respondent as well as to the Court. And in the meantime, Attorney Cathy, can you give one copy of the USB to the Counsel for the Respondent, Assistant Counsel for Respondent?

Thank you, Your Honor.

So that they may start perusing it already through their laptop. as well as one USB for the counsel for the panel of prosecutors.

And the documents, Your Honor?

Let the documents stay with her so that she can refer to it whenever necessary. You can refer to it, counsel, through perhaps a laptop.

But we are having the documents photocopied already.

Actually, we're giving copies to both parties now.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Both parties?

Okay.

Okay, you may proceed, Honorable Keith.

May we request our assisting counsel, Attorney Hester, to bring the USB to the tech booth so

that

we could flash the documents?

Assisting counsel may do so. Likewise, continuing authority for assisting counsel of both parties is given throughout the testimony of Attorney Cathy.

May I proceed, Your Honor?

You may proceed, Honorable Keith.

Thank you, Your Honor. Atty. Baldonado, you mentioned earlier that the copies that you brought were certified true copies. How would you know that these are certified true copies?

Ito pong dala ko ay isang certified true copy. Malalaman po natin ito dahil ito po ay espesyal na papel, sir. Tapos, meron po itong mga security features. Ito po ay eksklusibong ini-issue po ng Land Registration Authority. Meron po itong mga QR code. Halimbawa na po, meron siyang QR code sa itaas at kanang bahagi ng certified true copy. Meron din po itong serial number at barcode sa ilalim na kaliwang bahagi po ng dokumento at meron din po itong mga watermark, sir.

At

this point, may we ask that

the certified copy of TCT No. 146-2024010775 and all other documents, Your Honor, brought by the witness, be marked as our exhibit numbers P, Roman numeral 2, dash 4, dash 1, and series, Your Honor.

So ordered, but Clerk of Courts shall do it at the proper time, not necessarily now.

Yes, Your Honor. May we then ask the tech booth, Your Honor, to flash on the screen, Your Honor, TCT number 146-2024010775, Your Honor.

You may proceed.

Atty. Baldonado, according

to the title, saan po ba located ang property na ito?

Base po sa aming record, ito po ay situated in the barrio of Matina, city of Davao, island of Mindanao.

Punta naman tayo sa e-car na dala ninyo.

Based on the e-car na dala ninyo, ano din po ang nakasabi na location ng property?

Base po sa record namin, ang location po ng property na ito ay Huna Subdivision, Matina Crossing, Talomo, Davao City, Davao del Sur po.

Would you know if magkaiba ba ang Matina Crossing at barangay Matina? Atty. Baldonado?

Okay, ulit po.

Would you know if kaiba ba or different ba ang Barangay Matina at Matina Crossing?

Ang Matina po ay mas malaki po ang area ng Matina po, Sir. Ang Matina Crossing po ay parte ng Matina po.

So, part siya ng Matina?

Opo.

Alright. Now, based on the title, ano naman ang size ng property?

Sa pangalawang pahina po ng... Title na ito, nakalagay po na ito ay containing an area of 379 square meters more or less po.

And based on the title, sino naman po ang nakalagay na registered owners ng property?

Ayon po dito sa record namin, ito ay pagmamayari ng isang nakapangalang attorney Manases R. Carpio, married to Sara Z. Duterte Carpio.

Okay, and based on the title, ano naman po ang status ng title na ito?

Ang status po ng titulong ito ay active po siya, sir.

And when you say active, ano pong ibig sabihin na active title?

Ah, hindi po siya cancelado, sir.

Attorney Baldonado, magkano naman po based on the deed of sale ang benta ng property na ito?

Base po sa aming record, sir, ang... Ang consideration po dito ay 6 million pesos po.

6 million pesos. Now, kailan naman po binenta itong property na ito to the spouses, Atty. Manases Carpio and Sara Duterte?

July 2, 2004 po.

2000?

2024.

2024.

July 2024. Tawag ba?

July 2, 2024 po.

Okay now, let's go to the third page of the title. May isang entry dyan. Ano po yung entry na number 2024-018983?

Base po sa record namin, may nakalagay po na annotation, real estate mortgage. Basahin ko po ang buong nakasulat, sir.

Please

do.

Executed by Manases Reyes Carpio and Sara Zimmerman Duterte Carpio in favor of Philippine Savings Bank for the sum of 8 million pesos in accordance with doc number 231, page number 48. Book No. 39, Series of 2024 of Notary Public of Davao City, Atty. Cheryl Joy N. Castillo, dated August 27, 2024.

So binili siya ng July for 6 million at minortgage on August 2024, the same year, for 8 million. Tama po ba?

Base po dito sa dokumentong pinapakita ko, yes po.

May request that SALN of the Vice President, Mark as our exhibit P-Roman numeral 2-1-1-R for the year 2025 be flashed on the screen, Your Honor.

We would have to object, Your Honor.

What's the basis, Attorney Lindon?

Can the document not be flashed before I lodge my objection, Your Honor?

Can we take it down for a while, Honorable Keith?

Your Honor, we object on the ground of incompetence, Your Honor, and no basis, Your Honor, considering that the witness would not know anything about the SALN of the Vice President and that the prosecution has yet to lay any foundational or testimonial evidence allowing them to show the SALN, Your Honor.

Honorable Keith?

Your Honor, the SALN is a common exhibit for both the prosecution and the defense, Your Honor. We're not asking the witness to testify or analyze what's inside the SALN, Your Honor. All we're asking the witness, Your Honor, is to identify whether or not the details as mentioned in the title and in the deed of sale, Your Honor, are properly reflected in the list of properties that were declared by the Vice President in her SALN, Your Honor. She will not be testifying outside of the four corners of the SALN, Your Honor. She will just say whether or not the details as mentioned earlier are found or can be found. In the SALN of 2025, Your Honor.

The witness, Your Honor, all she has to do is actually say whether or not the details in this title and the deed of sale, Your Honor, can be found or located in the SALN of the Vice President, Your Honor.

If I may, Your Honor.

Short surrebutal, Attorney Lindon.

If I may, Your Honor, that is not the import of the objection grounded on original document rule. The original document rule, Your Honor, prohibits any inquiry as regards the contents of the document and the only evidence admissible would be the document itself, Your Honor.

Precisely, Your Honor.

Final surrebuttal.

Thank you, Your Honor. It will be the same document, Your Honor. All we are trying to ask, Your Honor, of the witness is that whether the amount, the date it was purchased, the location of the property that she just mentioned earlier can be found in the declaration. Made by the Vice President herself, Your Honor.

Then, it's as if, Your Honor, the...

Hindi ko na alam kung anong tawag dun sa sasabihin mo pa ang Attorney Lindon, pero sige na, bago ako mag-ruling.

Then, it's as if, Your Honor, the prosecution would be asking for the interpretation and the analysis of the witness, which would be another ground for objection, Your Honor, violation of opinion rule, Your Honor.

Then, allow the court to do it. The SALNs were earlier identified and proven to have been authentic by a previous witness by the counsel for the panel of prosecutors. The SALNs were marked by both parties, duly sworn to by the Vice President, and thus far there is no evidence to show that the Vice President or the respondent has denied or is denying. The SALNs on record, not only before the Office of the Ombudsman but also before this Court. Let the Court abbreviate the proceedings by stating that the Court, the Presiding Officer, has looked into the SALN of the Vice President in 2025 and does not find this particular property as one of the real properties declared because we checked it. Against all of the declarations of the Vice President. In fact, it's not found in previous SALNs too, prior to 2025, for the information and guidance of the senator-judges, that I'm sure you'll also see and find when you compare it. But the objection of Attorney Lindon is duly noted.

May

I make a manifest?

Yes, Atty. Lindon.

Just to set the record straight, Your Honor, we respectfully manifest that it would be erroneous for this Honorable Court to find that this property is not included in the SALN of the Vice President, Your Honor. While the property is described in the TCT as located in Matina, Davao City, and it's described in the other document as located in Matina Crossing, Davao City, Your Honor,

Then this Honorable Court must take mandatory Judicial Notice of the Geographical Divisions in the Philippines that Matina Crossing is also known as Barangay 7-4-A, Your Honor, which is declared in the SALN.

Proper subject matter of cross during your time, counsel, but in the meantime, this particular property is not declared as such. I'm allowed the court to specify that and limit its statement. As such, without prejudice to a proper showing, during your time to cross, which property it refers to here, given the, as you said, the geographic location it may have and may be covered in the declared assets here.

We'll do, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor.

Subject to that qualification, you may proceed, Honorable Keith.

Thank you, Your Honor. May we request our assisting counsel, Your Honor, to... Provide the witness with a copy of the 2025 SALN of the Vice President, Your Honor.

Assisting counsels may approach.

Atty. Baldonado, you testified earlier na ang property na ito is located in Matina, Davao City, was purchased in July 2024, registered in the names of the Atty. Manases Carpio, and the Vice President, Sara Duterte, and was acquired for the sum of 6 million pesos.

I

would like you to go over the SALN of the Vice President, particularly the area which states the real properties of the Vice President.

And

can you find these details from that document, Atty. Baldonado, that would fit the description? 6 million, Matina, and in the year 2024.

May I be given time to look over, sir?

Your Honor,

after the witness peruses the document, may the respondent be given a similar time to peruse the SALN being confronted to the witness, Your Honor?

Yes.

Isn't this a common exhibit?

Is it a common exhibit, Attorney Lindon?

But, if I may, Your Honor, we marked our own documents so we just want to...

May you

instruct your assisting counsel, Attorney Lindon, to... He's there anyway beside the witness. If you may confirm, if the copy that the witness is perusing is the same copy that you have.

We will do that, Your Honor.

While we're waiting, for the record, for the information of the Senator, judges, and the viewing public as well. The problem with the SALN is that it does not require the actual area to be stated. It only makes mention of the area. Sometimes it's even redacted. So the earlier statement of the chair that it did not find this property exactly is because there is no one-to-one correspondence between what was stated in the TCT and the deed of sale. But the areas are too generic to identify and find out. However, in the 2025 SALN of the Vice President, there is no mention of a sale of a new property to Attorney Manases Carpio in the amount of 6 million. There is a sale made mention here as identified earlier by Attorney Lindon. of a parcel of land in 76A Davao City, but the amount of acquisition is 10 million. And a sale of a property in Dumoy, Davao City, but the acquisition cost is 2 million. So walang one-to-one, unless later on, again, it is explained and shown to us which one it is and if it is one of these. And I think the Register of Deeds will be in a position. to hopefully assist us in this because she would know the area. Kasi di ba meron po kayong mapa sa inyong tanggapan para makita kung ano talaga yung loteng binili ng kada TCT base na rin po sa tax dec?

If I may, Your Honor, ang ano lang po namin is ang aming pong mandato, we are only ministerial, Your Honor. Pag tinignan po namin ang dokumento na kompleto, Amin po itong nire-registro. Hindi po sa lahat ng panahon meron po siyang mapa. Kung buo naman po itong property katulad nito, wala po siyang naka-attach na mapa po.

So ang nakakaalam po ay yung city assessor kung sa kasakali, siya po yung may kompletong mapa?

Would

you know?

Only if you know, Atty. Cathy?

Opo.

So hindi niyo po alam sa register of deeds?

Opo.

Hindi po. Hindi po siya kasama sa jurisdiction po namin.

So, base po sa dokumentong tinitingnan nyo, kaya nyo bang sabihin kung may katapat na lote yan o hindi po?

Your Honor, ang tangi ko lang pong maikukumpirma ay kung meron bang nag-match dito sa entries na nakalagay sa SAL-N kung iba base po sa dokumento na nakapresentar. Kung may nagmamatch ba o wala. Pero hindi po ako ang tamang tao na makakadetermine kung nai-declare ba siya o hindi.

So, [unclear]. Wala po kayo nakikitang may biniling lupain ng 6 na milyon base sa deed of sale na hawak niyo?

Base po dito sa record na hawak ko, Sir, Your Honor, wala po sa 2024 at... 2025.

Hindi po mag-appear yan sa 2024, Atty. Cathy, dahil kung yung deed of sale ay 2024, July 2, kailangan po yung i-declare ng 2025, hindi po sa 2024. Pang-2023 po yung 2024.

Wala

po

dito, Your Honor.

Wala po kayo nakitang katugma sa...

Wala pong nag-match.

Sa presyo, pati

ba sa lugar?

Sa presyo at sa lugar po at... Ang mode of acquisition po ang nakalagay po sa 2025 ay construction po. At dito po sa aming dokumento ay deed of sale po.

May nakalagay din po 2024 sale. Kita niyo po yan?

Opo. Pero ang purchase price po dito ay wala pong 6 million po, Sir.

10 million po nakalagay.

Ten million po at two million po ang nakalagay.

E yung lugar po, familiar po ba kayo sa lugar kung pareho o hindi?

Hindi po, Your Honor.

Okay. Your witness, Honorable Keith.

Actually, that will be all for our direct, Your Honor.

Attorney Lindon, you want... Do you need time to do your cross to review the sale and the documents? Because we can proceed to the next witness if you're not yet ready to do your cross.

Yes, Your Honor. We would need time to peruse the documents brought by the witness, Your Honor.

In that case, we will temporarily excuse Attorney Cathy.

Pansamantala po muna namin kayong ipagpapaliban sa inyong testimonya. Ma'am Cathy, upo muna po kayo doon.

Thank you, Your Honor.

You?re excused, ma'am. To make use of the court's time, we shall proceed with the next witness, the direct examination of the next witness. Atty.

Pineda?

Atty. Marco Pineda, kindly situate Atty. Marco Pineda to the witness stand.

The clerk of court through [unclear], so directed.

Atty. Cathy, you may... Doon muna po kayo sa holding area para hindi po kayo ma-stress dyan.

Tsaka pwede po kayo matulog muna sandali.

Huwag lang po dyan.

For the information of the Council for the Parties, the witness answered to the call of nature for a bit.

Yes. Can we situate Ms. Atty. Pineda to the witness stand?

Clerk of Court is directed to administer the oath to the witness.

Sir, can you raise your right hand? You, Marco K. Pineda. Do swear that the evidence that you shall give in the case now pending between the Philippines and Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help me God.

that the testimony of this witness is offered to prove the following, Your Honor. Number one, that the witness is the acting Register of Deeds of the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte. Number two, that based on official records, there's

a property in the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte with TCT number 142-2019-013-134 registered under the name of Attorney Manases Carpio, married to Vice President Sara Duterte. 3. Based on the deed of sale in the official record of the Registry of Deeds, the property was purchased in 2018 for 3,453,849. 4. Since 2018 until today, the property remains to be registered in the name of Atty. Manases Carpio, married to Vice President Sara Duterte according to the official record of the Registry of Deeds. 5. All other matters relevant to Article 2 on Unexplained Wealth, false SALNs, and continued business interests. This witness also, Your Honor, will testify that some of the properties were not duly declared by the Vice President. Maari pong sabihin na, again, ilang milyong piso lang ito, but para sa iba, malaking mahalaga na po itong 3.4 million pesos, Your Honor.

Attorney Lindon, do you want to repeat or simply copy-paste what you said earlier?

Your Honor...

Kindly repeat it for the record, nevertheless.

We just put on record that we adopt the same objection as to relevance and comment as to that the purposes of the offer of the witness is subject to cross-examination, Your Honor.

Duly noted and the continuing objection along the same lines of the earlier witness is also Duly noted.

Honorable Flores, you may proceed with your direct examination.

Thank you, Your Honor. [unclear], Atty. Pineda.

Good

morning, sir.

Can you please state your full name and your position, Atty. Pineda?

Yes, sir. I am Atty. Marco K. Pineda, Deputy Register of Deeds III, designated presently as the Acting Register of Deeds of the Island Garden City of Samal, concurrently serving as an Assisting Register of Deeds of the Davao City.

Now, as Acting Register of Deeds, ano po yung mandate ng Register of Deeds?

Pag sinasabi pong mandate, nakabatay po yan sa batas, Section 10 po ng Presidential Decree 1529. It is the solemn duty of all Register of Deeds to act as custodians of records pertaining to land titles. Kami po ang ambakan o repositorio ng lahat ng mga titulo at ari-arian personal or real sa Pilipinas. Tsaka tungkulin po namin, Sir, na

Kung mayroon pong mga dokumentong sinusumite sa aming tanggapan, ito po'y aming tungkulin na suriin kung ito ba'y kompleto. At kung ito po'y kompleto at dumaan sa tamang notaryo at bayad po ang karampatang buwis, ay amin po itong agad-agad bilang ministerial officers na i-rehistro na walang pagkaantala.

Ano naman po ang area or jurisdiction ng opisina ninyo?

Ang area po ng Samal po, ang Samal po kasi ay napapailalim sa Batas Public Act 8471 bilang isang component city ng probinsya ng Davao del Norte. Kaya po ang aming tanggapan ay nagkikater sa buong probinsya ng Davao del Norte kasama po rito po ang siyudad ng Tagom, ang siyudad ng Panabo, ang siyudad ng

Island Garden City of Samal, at ang buong probinsya po.

Again, Atty.

Pineda, can you tell us why you're

here today?

Nakatanggap po ako ng subpoena mula po sa kagalanggalang na hukuman na ito.

Ano naman po ang sinabi ng subpoena?

Isinubiti ko po sa clerk of court kaninang umaga. Hindi ko na po masyadong memoriado po ang exact words na nakasulat po roon. If my memory serves me right, it required me to submit All the documents pertaining to that certain title as projected on screen, sir, earlier.

And dala niyo naman yung titles at saka other documents required of you by the subpoena?

Opo.

Dala mo ngayon?

May I be allowed, sir, to get it from my records officer, sir?

You may do so.

Kindly assist the witness if necessary.

Again, assisting counsels from both sides may approach the witness at any point in time that they deem necessary.

In the meantime, the court is instructing the clerk of court through the OSAA to furnish hard copies of what's contained in the USB and what the witness is referring to at the moment.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Please proceed. By the way, apologies. Would you rather refer... How do you want to be referred to? John or Keith or...

I'm comfortable with any...

How are you referred to by day? John?

Yes,

sir.

Would

You prefer John?

Fine, Your Honor.

Again?

It's okay.

Okay.

So let it be Attorney John then.

You may proceed, sir.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Attorney Pineda, what type of copies did you bring today?

Sunod ko lang po to the letter po yung nakasulat po sa subpoena testificandum, at saka duces tecum. Nakalagay po rin, that I have to bring with me before this honorable court, three USB flash drives copy of all the documents. At the same time, one certified true copy of all the documents pertaining to this case, for your honor.

May I ask you, honor, if the defense is willing to stipulate that these are certified true copy so that we don't have to go through questioning them about...

Kindly, so the... Assisting Council, kindly inspect the copies if they are certified.

The Assisting Counsel will check, Your Honor.

Yes.

Atty. Marco, sino po nang certify nito?

Sir, Your Honor, the office is under the so-called PHILARIS system. This is the Philippine Land Registration Utilization Titling System. So all register of deeds across the island issues this special paper. as proof of its being the repository of custodians of all titles in the Philippines.

So that this machine produced need not be signed by anyone?

Yes, sir, as it is already apparent on the face of the CTC, sir. There is that wording there.

If

I may quote, sir?

Please proceed, sir.

This is the tax declaration, for example, Your Honor, tax declaration of real property. On the bottom portion, and I quote, It is hereby certified that this is a true electronic copy on file in the Registry of Deeds of the Province of Davao del Norte. It consists of one pages, pages, quote-unquote, S. This is a system-generated certified true copy and does not require manually affixed signature printed at the Registry of Deeds of the Province of Davao del Norte. Requested by Atty. Marco K. Pineda po.

Okay. Thank you for that.

Atty. Marco, do you need to stipulate or will the court issue? Yes, Atty. Lindon.

We can stipulate that the documents are certified copies, Your Honor.

Okay. So stipulated. Thank you, Atty. Lindon. You may proceed, Atty. John.

Thank you, Atty. I'll say thank you, sir. At this point, Your Honor may request that the documents be respectively marked as exhibits numbers P-Roman numeral 2-4-2 and series, Your Honor.

Granted, so ordered, but at a later time by the Clerk of Court.

May we then ask the Tech Booth, Your Honor, to please flash on the screen TCT No. 142-2019-013134.

The Tech is so authorized to flash before the screen the requested document.

Yes, what happened to the Tech?

Was the USB copy given to the Tech?

Nabigay po ba, Honorable Flores?

Yes, Your Honor.

May

we know, Your Honor, if the defense is also willing to stipulate on the title to abbreviate the proceedings?

Yes, Your Honor. Yes, we can stipulate.

So, stipulated.

So, I have several things to offer, Your Honor, so that we can abbreviate things. That the size

of the property is 751 square meters as stated by the title. Will you stipulate?

Just a moment, Your Honor. We're just perusing the title here.

We shall await.

Yes, Atty. Lindon?

We can stipulate on that, Your Honor.

751 square meters. What else, Atty. John?

Will the defense stipulate that the registered owners of the property are Atty. Manases Carpio, married to the Vice President, Sara Duterte.

Yes, Your Honor. We stipulate that that is how it's described in the title, Your Honor.

As contained in the title?

Yeah, as contained in the title, Your Honor.

So stipulated?

And that the property is situated in Matanos, Island Garden City of Samal.

Attorney Lindon?

We can stipulate that it's how it's stated in the title, Your Honor.

So stipulated as contained in the title.

And that from the deed of sale, the property was bought by the spouses for the sum of 3,458,849 pesos, Your Honor.

We will just peruse the deed of sale, Your Honor.

Kindly do so.

We can stipulate, Your Honor, that as annotated in the said title, the amount is 3,453,849 pesos, Your Honor.

So stipulated, duly noted.

Thank you, Your Honor. Attorney Pineda, the

title says that the property is situated in Matanos Island, Garden City of Samal. The deed of sale however, says that it's a Kembali Resort where

the property is Situated.

Is Kembali Resort in Matanos Island, Garden City of Samal.

May I be allowed to peruse the...

You may do so, Attorney.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Yes, sir.

As appearing in the transfer certificate of title on the face of the said title, Your Honor, sir, it reads, reads, The land situated in Matanos Island, Garden City of Samal, Province of Davao del Norte, Philippines. End of quote.

And when was the property purchased by the spouses based on the deed of sale?

Come again, sir, when?

When?

As appearing on the face of the said CTC copy of the deed of absolute sale, sir, it reads, and I quote, March 15, 2018 po.

2018. At this point, may request from the defense counsels kasi they got a copy of the sale. Pabalik lang po. There.

Thank you. So ang property is binili noong 20 March 2018 and it's situated in Matanos Island, Garden City of Samal by the spouses, Atty. Manases Carpio, married to Vice President Sara Duterte for the sum of 3,458,849,000. Tama po ba Atty. Pineda?

Sir, ang nakasulat po rito ay babasahin ko po.

3

,453,849 pesos po.

Nasa

pangalawang pahina po ng DOAS or Deed of Absolute Sale.

So 3,453,849 million. Tama. Is that correct?

Yes, sir.

Sorry, I mentioned 8. Ako pala ang mali. Sorry. Now, we're showing to you the SALN of the Vice President for the year 2025.

Your Honor.

We raised the same objection as to incompetence, lack of foundation, and violation of the opinion rule and relevance, Your Honor.

Same ruling of the court. In fact, allow the court once again. Atty.

Marco, sa anong year binili po yung property? 2018, [unclear]?

Sa

2019 SALN ng ikalawang Pangulo, may nakalagay po doon na Barangay Aundanao, Igakos.

Nakikita niyo po ba yan sa 2019 Sal-N niya? Kindly show the 2019 Sal-N to the witness.

Apologies, Your Honor, I cannot read what's projected on screen.

Exactly. The Presiding Officer is asking the Assisting Counsel to kindly show the 2019 SALN of the Vice President.

We'll provide him with the 2019 SALN, Your Honor.

May nakalagay po dyan sa bandang gitnang baba.

Tatlong property. Yung isa't nakalagay puro Aundanao. Ano po ba ang pronunciation ng itong barangay na ito? Atty.

Aundanao. Atty. Marco? Aundanao ba ang pronunciation po dyan?

Aundanao po.

Aundanao. Tatlo po ang properties na nakalagay sa bandang kalahating baba na parte ng SALN.

Aundanao-IGACOS 2016 sale, Aundanao-IGACOS 2019 sale, Aundanao-IGACOS 2019 sale.

Opo, Your Honor.

Doon sa 2019 sale, may nakalagay po na dalawang 1,000,000 at dalawang tag-500,000 sa kabuhang halaga na 3,000,000.

Yes, Your Honor. Yes, Your Honor.

Meron po ba kayo nakikitang tumutugma dito sa 3.453 million na deed of sale kaugnay sa pagbili ng lupa dyan sa Aundanao, IGACOS?

Your Honor, [unclear]. Your Honor, ako po ay custodian ng land titles. Hindi po kami custodian po ng SALN po.

Opo, pero ang tanong ko po, meron po bang katumbas o tumutugmang halaga dyan sa nakikita nyo?

I can only read what is strictly written on the paper, Sir, Your Honor, and does not match the deed of sale.

Now, yung deed of sale ba, dalawang lote ba yung binenta o isa lang?

Insofar as this title is concerned, there is only one, Your Honor.

There is only one parcel of land, not two parcels of land.

Not two parcels, sir.

Attorney Lindon?

Your Honor, just for the record, may we know what year of SALN is the document?

2019. I'm referring to 2019, Attorney Lindon.

Thank you, Your Honor.

During your cross, Attorney Lindon, you can clarify this matter on the part of the court.

We will, Your Honor.

Thank you.

Your witness, Attorney John?

Attorney Pineda. So, based on the... Three identifiers na sinabi namin. The amount, the location, and the year it was bought. May mahanap ka bang entry dyan sa salen na yan?

Yes, sir. I can only read what strictly appears on the document. I cannot draw conclusions, sir.

Based

on that premise, nothing in this salen perfectly matches the DOAS sale, sir.

So there's nothing in the title that would say that the property was purchased by Atty. Manassas Carpio, the Vice President, in the year 2018 for the sum of 3,453,849 for a property that is located in Barangay Matanos, Island Garden, City of Samal.

As he answered, Your Honor.

Yes,

Atty. Lindon, my apologies.

We withdraw the objection, Your Honor.

Thank you.

My

question, Your Honor, was that I was just asking Atty. Pineda whether or not he could find an entry in the SALN that would reflect a deed of property that was bought. It's located in Matanos Island, Garden City of Samal in the year 2018 for the sum of 3,453,849 [unclear].

Your Honor, for the end time, I will reiterate my position and my statement that I can only read what is patent on the paper, sir. That is because I'm a ministerial officer. Subject to that qualification,

subject to that qualification to your answer, Atty. Marco, you may respond.

Yes, Your Honor. I can read here, agricultural land located at Barangay Undanaw, Igacos, land area 2700, rather

this is assessed value, sir, bought

sometime in 2019. Another land, agricultural,

classified as agricultural, Barangay Undanaw, IGaCoS, land, land, 2019, mode of acquisition, sale, valued at 1 million, land, 2019 sale, also sold, valued at 1 million, land, agricultural, Barangay Undanaw, IGaCoS, land, 2019 sale, 500,000, 2 entries, 500,000.

Your Honor.

Okay.

So wala po?

Nothing matches the land described in the deed of absolute sale dated 2018, sir.

Thank you, Your Honor. Now, ano ang status ng title na ito? Ito ang TCT number 142-2019-013134.

As

apparent on the face of the title, transfer certificate of title, sir, it is uncanceled, it is active.

So when you say it's an active title, what does it mean?

It means that it is... Still the same title, it reflects because we adhere to the so-called mirror principle. All the details as reflected on the face of the title ay sumasalamin po sa lahat ng legal na detalye, interes hinggil sa lupa.

That will be all for our direct, Your Honor.

Do you want to do your cross with this witness, First Lieutenant Lindon, or the first witness?

Your Honor, can we request to, can we be allowed to do the cross after lunch, Your Honor, so that we can prepare the necessary visuals?

In the order that they were presented.

Yes, Your Honor.

We can again call for an early lunch. The only question is if the food is already available because the last time it was not.

Are there any Senator-Judges who wishes to make interjections to this witness?

We're trying to make use of the time so if you can make your interjections now, it would be preferred unless they are not yet ready.

So, it'll be brunch then. I hope the food is ready. We shall convene.

Yes,

the Honorable Luistro, recognize.

In preparation to the prosecution's presentation of the AMLC Director, Executive Director, Your Honor, we just want to put on record that the witness sent copy of the summaries prepared by them to the Honorable Impeachment Court, including the parties. and they will be part of the presentation of this witness, Your Honor. That is, in order not to delay the presentation on matters concerning the summaries, we wish to put on record that including the defense, I believe, was sent copy of this summaries, Your Honor. And for purposes of the records, we wish to enumerate this summaries prepared and submitted by AMLC. This includes the summary of covered transaction reports and suspicious transaction reports submitted by the Anti-Money Laundering Council to the Senate Impeachment Court. Second, Your Honor, is the summary of all CTRs and CTRs involving 15 juridical persons from 2007 to 2025. The third, Your Honor, is all CTRs and STRs involving Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and Attorney Manassas R. Carpio, likewise from 2022 or from 2022 to 2025. The fourth summary, Your Honor, is all CTRs and STRs involving the 15 juridical persons from 2022 to 2025. The fifth, Your Honor, CTRs and STRs pertaining to inward remittances. to Cale88 Foods Corporations from China, and B, other countries. And for the last summary, Your Honor, CTRs and STRs involving insurance policies and investment-related transactions. We wish to seek confirmation from the defense that they received copy of the summaries from the AMLC, Your Honor.

Attorney Sheila, can you confirm?

Good

morning, Your Honor. Unfortunately, Your Honor, we have not received any of the documents mentioned by the lead prosecutor, Your Honor. I just checked my email now and I don't see any email coming from the AMLC or the prosecution. I was also informed that we haven't also received yet. Any hard copies, Your Honor. In fact, this is the first time that we're hearing of these summaries. The

clerk is directed to obtain a copy from the prosecution and furnish the counsel for respondent a copy in accordance with the court's earlier ruling that any summaries that a witness that will be presented will be identifying should be furnished. Counsel for respondent and the opposing party. As the case may be. So ordered.

Anything else, Attorney? Honorable Luistro, rather?

Yes,

Your Honor. Since we are concluding early for our morning trial, I would like to proceed to our manifestation which we are supposed to make after lunch, Your Honor, if the court will allow.

Yes, after lunch. Ah, you want to do it now?

Yes, Your Honor.

You may do so. We're early anyway. The food

might not be available

yet.

Thank you, Your Honor. First, Your Honor, the prosecution has finally decided not to present former Senator Sonny Trillanes. We seek the kind indulgence of the Honorable Impeachment Court for the belated final position on this particular concern. Second, Your Honor, pursuant to the directive of the Honorable Impeachment Court, we are respectfully submitting The order of presentation of witnesses as follows. For October 2, Friday, that is tomorrow, Your Honor, we anticipate the continuation of presentation of the AMLC Executive Director. We lament, Your Honor, that we have no other witness to be presented tomorrow. Thus, we will be constrained to move for the deferment of presentation. Should the AMLC Executive Director conclude early his presentation on Friday?

So we only have one witness for tomorrow and if at all that will be the continuation of the testimony of the AMLC Director.

That is correct, Your Honor. To continue, Your Honor, for Monday, October 5, we will be presenting the BIR and for Tuesday, October 6, we will be presenting the representatives of banks and insurance companies. And it is in this light, Your Honor, that we respectfully reiterate our request for issuance of subpoena to BIR as well as the representatives of banks and insurance companies.

Number 3, Your Honor.

Insofar as the banks are concerned, do you have a sequence already, Honorable Luistro? You have here seven banks. Is it, will it be as it appears in your request for subpoena?

We intend, Your Honor, to present them on Tuesday. On Monday, Monday

or Tuesday, I guess.

Tuesday, Your Honor, or Monday, if the BIR will conclude early.

Yes.

In the same order, Your Honor, as mentioned in the request, Your Honor. So,

for the record and for the information of counsel-respondent, the order shall be after AMLC, BIR, on Monday. And then, insofar as the banks are concerned, Land Bank, Asia United Bank, Philippine Savings Bank, Metro Bank, BPI, PNB, and finally, BDO.

And for the insurance companies, Honorable Luistro, also in the same order that they appear in your request for subpoena?

We confirm, Your Honor.

So for the record, that will be Prudential Life, Allianz,

Manufacturers Life, FWD Life, BPI-AIA Life, BDO Securities, and BDO Life. In that order. Would that be correct, Honorable Luistro?

That is correct, Your Honor.

Chair, hereby grants the request for the issuance of subpoena, duces tecum, and ad testificandum to the BIR as well as the banks and insurance companies named In the request for subpoena with a caveat or change that it shall be for Monday and Tuesday, October 5 and 6.

To be certain that we have enough time for all of these. So ordered.

Your Honor.

Yes, Attorney Sheila is recognized before the Honorable Senator Judge Sotto.

Thank you, Your Honor. Just the two items. Just to clarify,

Will the prosecution no longer present the former Senator Trillanes completely? Which means that they will no longer or they have removed him from their list of witness or are they just deferring on the presentation of the former Senator?

Honorable Luistro?

As manifested already, Your Honor, we will no longer be presenting the former Senator Sonny Trillanes.

So they will now drop this particular witness, Your Honor?

Effectively, yes, Attorney Sheila.

second item, Your Honor, may we also ask the prosecution if they can provide us copies of any summaries or other documents that the witnesses for the Insurance Commission and BIR as well as the banks. Would identify so that we'll have ample time to examine them. Based

on the earlier ruling of the court, yes, the court will grant that request of Attorney Sheila, kindly furnished as you did with AMLC, Honorable Luistro. We

submit, Your Honor.

Any summaries that the witnesses may present during their testimony ahead of time.

We submit.

Thank you.

Thank you. Senator-Judge Sotto is recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Presiding Officer, Mr. President. Thank you. Just some trivia questions for Attorney Pineda, if you don't mind. Anyway, we have time.

Yes, please. You may proceed, Senator Judge Sotto. You have two minutes.

Your Register of Deeds of the Island Garden City of Samal.

Your Honor, I am merely the Acting Register of Deeds of the Island Garden City.

Acting Register of Deeds. How long have you been in the Samal City?

Four years, Your Honor.

Four years only? So in 1998, you were not in Samal?

No, sir. No, Your Honor.

Did you know that Samal City used to have three municipalities and no city?

You did not know that, no?

I did not know that, Your Honor.

Anyway, the island of Samal used to be three municipalities.

It was converted into one city after convincing the three mayors and all the register of deeds people then to make it into one island garden city of Samal in 1998. Just as I said, it's just a trivia. Did you know who made the city of island garden of city of Samal?

No. I

think it's one

Senator Tito Sotto, Your Honor.

You're correct. Thank you. I have no more questions, Mr. President.

Following the footsteps of Senator-Judge Sotto, Sorsogon did the same thing. We merged two towns to form the city of Sorsogon and we relied on the Supreme Court decision in the island city of Samal that said that you can actually merge and create at the same time in one law. and that it will not violate the one subject matter that should be contained in the Title Rule found in the Constitution. And both laws were declared constitutional by the Supreme Court. So anyway, we shall pause for lunch. We shall resume at 12.30 with the first witness earlier presented, Attorney Baldonado of the City of Davao. You are excused and kindly partake of lunch. Atty. Marco.

Trial is in recess.

Kindly situate Atty. Cathy to the witness stand.

The clerk of court through the sergeant at arms is so directed.

I'm assuming you have a cross right, Atty. Lindon?

Yes, Your Honor.

Hindi kasi kung wala, hindi ko na papaupuin si Atty. Cathy.

Atty. Cathy, naunawaan niyo po na patuloy kayong tetestigo basis sa nauna po niyong pinanumpaan kaninang umaga.

Kindly answer, ma'am, so that we can have it on record.

Opo.

Attorney Lindon, your witness. You may proceed with your cross when you're ready.

Thank you, Your Honor. Good afternoon, ma'am. Good

afternoon, sir.

Ma'am, you are a lawyer, correct?

Yes, sir.

And you are also the Register of Deeds for Davao City?

Opo.

And you are testifying here in that capacity, ma'am?

Opo.

The Registry of Deeds is the public repository of records or instruments affecting registered lands, tama po?

Opo.

It has also the duty to immediately register an instrument for registration dealing with real property, tama po?

Provided po na na-comply nila lahat ng requirements for

registration.

Being

the public repository of records of lands, ma'am, The title you identified is public correct?

Correct.

And anyone can request for a copy of that title?

Correct.

The requesting person does not need to be the owner of that property correct?

Correct.

He does not need to have an interest over that property correct?

Correct.

You are also aware that before a title may be transferred to another person or may be issued

He or she must submit a certificate authorizing registration regarding payment of transfer taxes from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, real property tax clearance from the local government unit concerned, and proof of payment of transfer taxes. Correct ma'am?

Yes po, tama po.

These are the requirements so that your office knows that the proper taxes have been paid. Correct ma'am?

Correct.

And you would not transfer a title or issue a title without submission of these requirements, correct?

Correct.

Okay. And in the title you identified, it was issued to Manassas R. Carpio, correct?

Yes po, base po sa aming record.

Okay. The Registry of Deeds, ma'am, is not the repository of SALNs of any public official or employee, correct?

Correct.

Okay. So you would not have any personal knowledge on the listed assets in any of the SALNs of the Vice President?

Correct.

You would not have any personal knowledge on the listed liabilities in any of the SALNs of the Vice President. Tama po? You would not have any personal knowledge on the listed net worth in any of the Vice President SALNs. Tama po?

Correct.

Okay. You would also not have any personal knowledge on the financial and business interests listed in any of the Vice President SALNs.

Of

course, yes po.

Okay po.

You would not know if any of the Vice President SALNs Need any correction, ma'am?

Of course, yes po.

And

you cannot testify on the completeness or incompleteness of the disclosure in the SALN because you have no personal knowledge. Tama po?

Tama po.

Yung title po na in-identify niyo kanina, ito po, issued noong July 26, 2024. Tama po?

Opo, base po sa aming record. July 26, 2024.

Tapos yung parcel of land na naka-describe po dyan sa property is nakalagay located in Matina, Davao City. Tama po ma'am?

Tama po.

Gano'n na po kayo katagal na register of deeds sa Davao City?

Mahigit isang taon na po.

Okay. So you would know ma'am na ang Matina Crossing is also known as Barangay 748. Alam niyo po yun?

Hindi po.

In that light, Your Honor, may we just reiterate our earlier manifestation that this honorable court can take mandatory judicial notice of the geographical divisions in the Philippines, particularly that Matina Crossing is also known or officially known as Paranggay 748, Your Honor.

Your Honor, we'd like to make a counter-manifestation, Your Honor.

I'm sorry, Attorney John?

We'd like to make a counter-manifestation also. Kindly

do so. Your

Honor, Matina is a general area and it comprises of several barangays, Your Honor. So, we'd just like to put that

on record.

The court will look into it with the permission of Attorney Lindon.

Understood, Your Honor.

I'm showing you tax declarations pertaining to the transfer certificate of title which you identified.

Do you have two... Tax declarations, ma'am. Dalawa po yung hawak nyo.

Yung ibinigay po? Opo. Ito po?

You would confirm, ma'am, that the tax declarations na hawak mo pertain to the same TCT number.

Pareho ba ito ng record namin, sir?

Nakalagay po dyan yung TCT number. You may refer to it, ma'am.

May we know, Your Honor, if this is a separate document from that which was produced by the witness?

It is a separate document, Your Honor. It is the more recent tax declaration, Your Honor.

So you're showing the witness a tax declaration?

Then we will be

objecting, Your Honor, to any question related to this particular document. Because this is not one of the documents that was presented by... The witness in this fact a document that has not been identified nor authenticated by any witness whatsoever, Your Honor.

Your Honor, with due respect to the prosecution, the cross covers any relevant matter. And since the witness identified a particular TCT, then we can confront her with documents related to that particular title, Your Honor.

Your Honor, that tax declaration...

Yes, rebuttal from Attorney John.

Sorry, Your Honor. That tax declaration did not come with the documents presented by the witness, Your Honor. Therefore, she could not be confronted with that document, Your Honor.

If

they want to present that tax declaration, Your Honor, they should present their own witness who will be able to identify and authenticate that tax declaration, Your Honor.

Your Honor, a short rejoinder, Your Honor.

Final rejoinder, yes.

Aside from covering relevant matters, Your Honor, cross-examination also covers all facts bearing an important, bearing significance in the case, Your Honor.

So this is, we submit, this is an important fact which can be elicited.

With the indulgence of Attorney John, the court will allow it, proper subject matter for cross, to confront the witness with this document, if she knows, of course.

May we ask to inspect first the document, Your Honor?

May you ask for a copy?

Yes, sir.

You have assisting counsel there to look at the copy?

Thank you, Your Honor.

Do you have an extra copy, Atty. Lindon?

Yes, Your Honor, we do.

Can you confront the witness with that extra copy while the prosecution is perusing the document so that you may proceed with your cross-examination?

Can you proceed, Atty. Cathy? You were asked, yung tax declaration po ba na yan ay tumutugma o ang tinutukoy ay yung TCT na binanggit niyo kanina?

Makikita niyo po sa tax declaration, typical na tax declaration sa registradong lupa, yung TCT number sa bandang kaliwang bahagi.

May we just request the tech, your honor, to flash the tax declaration?

Kindly flash it on the screen, please. The clerk of court and the tech is so directed.

Yes, sir. Base po dito sa ibinigay niyong dokumento, ang nakalagay po na TCT. ay 146-2024010-775 na nagtutugma po sa titolong naka-certify po sa aming records.

Just to clarify ma'am, yung hawak niyo pong tax declaration pertains to tax declaration over the land and tax declaration over the building, tama po?

Opo.

Okay. Ma'am, do you confirm that the declared market value of the land is 1,864,680 pesos?

We object, Your Honor. Again, the witness is incompetent to testify on the matter, Your Honor. They should be presenting the city assessor, Your Honor, who will be testifying on that tax declaration.

She's being asked only as to the contents of the document, not as to the accuracy or truth of the same. Witness may answer.

Tama ma'am. Ang nakalagay na declared market value ng land is 1,864,680 pesos.

Ipagpaumanin niyo po sir. Ang akin po is hindi po ito nagagaling sa aming record so hindi po ako maka... Kung ipapabasa niyo lang

po

sa

akin

kung ano yung nakikita ko.

Yes, as appearing in the document.

Your Honor, she already answered that she's incompetent to testify.

What was her answer, Attorney Lindon?

Okay.

Based on the record, what you read in the document anyway?

Your Honor, the witness agreed to confirm the contents of the tax declaration. We confronted her by reading the same, Your Honor.

The witness likewise manifested, Your Honor, that she is incompetent to testify on this matter.

But the witness may read what the document is stating in front of her. Just to get over this, Attorney,

Kathy, kindly read what is the market value contained in the tax declaration.

Ang market value po na nakikita ko dito ay ang nakalagay 1,864,680 pesos po sa land.

Okay, that's my next question. What's the declared market value? You confirmed that the declared market value of the building is 6,992,847 pesos and 80 centavos, ma'am. You confirm po?

Sa akin pong nababasa.

Opo. You confirm po?

Sa

inyong nababasa?

Ang nakalagay po ay 6,992,847.80.

Okay. You also confirm ma'am that the assessed value of the land is 82,04... 82,046 pesos. Assessed value ng land.

As appearing in the document?

Opo, ito po ay 82,046.

Okay.

Well, in your experience, in every sale of real property, transfer taxes must be paid, tama po?

Opo.

Okay.

Tapos may bayad din po yung pag-register ng instrument sa inyo?

Opo.

Okay. May bayad din po yung proseso ng pag-transfer ng title sa inyo, tama po?

Opo.

Okay. Tapos, only if you can answer, ma'am, every sale of property entails surveying the lot na bibilin. Tama po? In your experience lang, ma'am, kasi familiar kayo sa dealings with your property.

I'm now gonna show you the 2024 SALN of the Vice President.

I direct your attention to page 3, line 6 of the 2024 SALN.

Page 3, row 6 of the 2024 SALN.

Nakikita niyo po ma'am?

Opo.

Do you confirm ma'am that there is a Barangay 7-4A Davao City property?

Opo.

And

do you also confirm na ang nakalagay na... Cost of acquisition is 10 million.

Opo.

Do you also confirm na ang nakalagay na assessed value is 82,046 pesos?

Opo.

Okay. And kapareho po ito nung binanggit nyo kaninang assessed value na nakalagay sa tax declaration ng lupa. Tama po?

Hindi ko po. I cannot confirm.

Okay. Basahin nyo po ulit yung nakalagay na tax declaration sa land. Pareho po ng amount. Pareho po

ng amount.

Pareho po ng amount. At you confirm din ma'am na nakalagay ito sa SALN ng VP sa portion under her spouse or kay Mr. Manassas R. Carpio.

Opo.

At yung titulo po ulit, tatanungin ko lang po ulit, nakalapangalan po kay Manassas R. Carpio. Tama po?

Opo.

So nakalagay po sa SALN niya.

I

cannot confirm.

No further questions, Your Honor.

Redirect, Atty. John.

Thank you, Your Honor. Just a few questions for redirect.

You may proceed when you're ready, sir.

Thank you, Your Honor. Atty. Cathy, ang assessed value is given on a property based on the area it's situated, correct?

Correct.

Tama ko ba?

Ano po ibig sabihin niyo, sir?

So yung magkalapit na properties, even if they're not the same property, would most likely have the same assessed value?

Not within my...

Speculative, Your Honor.

Not within my...

Okay.

Witness already answered that she would not be in a position to answer.

Thank you, Your Honor. Now, you testified earlier na itong portion na pina-identify ni Atty. Lindon sa inyo ay hindi katugma doon sa deed of sale na dala ninyo. Tama po ba? Kasi ang amount of acquisition cost sa deed of sale na dala ninyo is only 6 million pesos.

At

ang kinuturo niyang property sa cross niya is ang acquisition cost is 10 million pesos.

So

magkaiba yung acquisition cost.

Base po sa Deed of sale at saka SALN na pinakita po.

So sa experience niyo po as register of deeds, di ba usually nilalagay nila yung lower amount ang iba to avoid paying taxes, di ba?

Speculative, Your Honor.

Sir, if she knows. Pakiulit po.

Yung ibang bumibili ng property, nilalagay nila ang lower amount para iwasan ang pagbayad ng tamang buwis. Tama po ba?

Only if you know, Attorney Cathy.

I don't. I

don't know po, sir.

[unclear] for our redirect, Your Honor.

Short recross, Your Honor.

Yes, you may proceed, Attorney Lindon. Thereafter, we shall proceed with the interjection of Senator-Judges.

Earlier, ma'am, you confirmed that the declared market value of the land is 1,864,680 and that the declared market value of the building based on the instrument you were confronted with is 6,992,847 pesos and 80 pesos. Correct?

Which one here?

No, I'm just as attorney. I'm just playing the predicate for my question.

Itong pinakita niya po, sir.

Yes. Do you confirm that those were the amounts? The amounts I read are correct?

Ito, 1,864,680 po.

And the other one is 6,992,847.80 pesos.

Opo.

Correct. And you confirmed that the total declared market value of both the land and the building is around 8,800,000.

Incompetent, Your Honor.

Your Honor, I'm just asking a simple

arithmetic, Your Honor.

If she knows, based on the document.

I need a calculator, sir.

Okay.

Can we ask the witness to...

You can round it off, Attorney Cathy.

Around 8.8 million, attorney.

Roughly, yeah.

And earlier, during my cross, you also testified that other fees must be paid for every sale or purchase of property, correct? You remember saying that?

Yes.

No further questions, Your Honor.

Interjections from Senator-Judges, if any.

We won't let go of this witness if there are any interjections. If there are none, then that's

the only time we will excuse the witness so that she doesn't have to come back to the witness stand.

The Senate President is recognized for his interjection.

Thank you.

Interjection. You have two minutes, sir. You may proceed when you're ready.

Thank you, Mr. Presiding Officer. Madam Witness, itong tinitignan ko ngayon yung TCT.

Itong pinakita nyo kanina, Ito ay nakapangalan na kay Atty. Manassas. Tama. Yung pinakita niyo po kanina sa amin.

Ang

clarificatory questions, Atty. Cathy.

0775. Ending 0775.

Opo, nakapangalan po ito sa isang Atty. Manassas R. Carpio. Married to Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio.

And then, na-transfer to sa kanya July of 2024. Tama po ba?

Opo.

Bilang RD, bilang Register of Deeds, ibig ba sabihin nito, nung July of 2024, siya na ang may-ari nitong lupang ito? Officially?

As between the parties po, sir. As between the parties, sila na po ang may-ari. But ang purpose po ng registration is to bind third persons. Itong titulo po.

Pero base dito sa titulo, Si Atty. Manases na ang may-ari nitong lupang ito. Tama. By July 26, 2024.

Tama.

Tinitignan ko ulit itong titulo. Ano ang exact address nito? Anong barangay? Anong street?

Dahil nakasulat dito Barrio Matina, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. Pero ano yung current exact address niya?

Base po dito sa kanyang tax declaration at saka sa e-car, pati

din po sa kanyang tax clearance, ang particular po na address nito ay Huna Subdivision, Matina Crossing, Talomo.

Matina Crossing, Talomo.

Talomo, Davao City po.

Barangay Matina Crossing.

Opo.

At mayroong ganyan na barangay.

Ang sa iyong, kasi narinig ko kanina, one year ka na sa Davao. So, most likely, kabisado mo na yung mga barangays doon.

Hindi po lahat, sir.

Pero at least sa city. Kabisado nyo na sa city.

Malaki po ang Davao city po.

Alam ko malaki nga. But merong barangay Matina, Crossing, Tolomo?

Meron po.

Okay. And then,

Yan bang address na yan ay hindi nakalagay yan sa TCT?