Duterte-Carpio impeachment trial zeroes in on US$3,220 Tokyo meal

A six-figure dinner bill in Japan involving Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s family has drawn scrutiny over her perceived lavish lifestyle, as ordinary Filipinos grapple with elevated inflation and a slowing economy.

The 205,007-peso (US$3,220) tab was racked up at an upscale Tokyo restaurant in 2023 by a group of 11 people. Charged to the credit card of her lawyer-husband, Manases Carpio, the expense took centre stage on Thursday at Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, which is examining allegations that she amassed unexplained wealth.

Amando Virgil Ligutan, a private prosecutor for the House of Representatives, argued that the bill raised questions about whether Duterte-Carpio was adhering to legal mandates requiring elected officials to lead a modest lifestyle.

“The issue is whether a 200,000-peso meal is ostentatious and whether the vice-president and her spouse are living a modest life,” Ligutan said while questioning defence witness Anel Martin Antero, a long-time friend who acknowledged serving on the couple’s legal teams and regularly receiving compensation from Carpio’s law firm. “This is central to the allegation of unexplained wealth. The law provides that a public official and their family must live simply.”

Ligutan pressed Antero on whether ordinary Filipinos could afford such an outing, asking: “Can our fellow Filipinos afford to spend 200,000 pesos in a single sitting?”

Government data shows rising food and fuel costs drove annual inflation to a more than three-year high of ‌7.8 per cent in October, while economic growth slowed ⁠for a fifth consecutive quarter to 2.1 per cent in the July-September ‌period.

Testifying before the Philippine Senate, which sits as an impeachment court, Antero said he was “personally surprised” by the cost of the meal during the group’s holiday, according to the Manila Times.

“We did not expect the bill to be that expensive,” he told the court.

Antero said that the bill was paid using Carpio’s credit card because several diners ran out of cash, adding that all attendees later paid their share. However, he said he had no photographs or receipts to corroborate his claims.

“As far as I know, everyone contributed, as that was the arrangement we had during our trip,” he said.

The transactions were flagged during an audit into allegations that Duterte-Carpio failed to truthfully declare her finances in her mandatory statement of assets, liabilities and net worth document.

Last month, prosecutors also highlighted several high-end purchases, including two transactions at a Nike store in Davao City worth 93,750 pesos and 205,392 pesos, alongside 256,882.50 pesos spent at a similar outlet in Malaysia. Lawmaker Zia Alonto Adiong said the hefty shopping bills pointed to excess income, noting that no ordinary Filipino would spend 200,000 pesos on shoes.

Duterte-Carpio’s spokesman, Paolo A. Panelo, defended Carpio’s foreign credit card transactions on Thursday, arguing that the prosecution’s forensic report highlighted the purchases without proper context, according to the Daily Tribune.

“For me, it was inappropriate for Attorney Alex Cabrera to highlight this in the report, especially without context,” Panelo told reporters, referring to the prosecution’s financial forensic analyst. “When there is no context, it’s malicious – misleading.”

Panelo said that Duterte-Carpio was not present during some of the purchases, reiterated that the Tokyo bill was split among 11 diners and said the Malaysia Nike purchase paid for apparel and gear for a children’s basketball team supported by Carpio. Carpio had previously maintained that the charges were personal expenses paid with his own funds.

Prosecutors have been presenting evidence against ‌Duterte-Carpio since July over initial charges that she betrayed public trust, amassed unexplained wealth, violated the constitution and committed corruption and bribery. Last month, they withdrew three of the four charges, leaving unexplained wealth as the sole remaining issue for senators to ‌rule on.

If convicted, Duterte-Carpio faces removal from office and disqualification from holding public posts – effectively barring her from a potential presidential run in 2028.