Trillanes: Firm of VP Sara's husband got P319M from China

Composite image shows Vice President Sara Duterte as seen in June 2026 and her husband, Mans Carpio, in April 2026.

Duterte office; The STAR / Miguel de Guzman; Philstar.com composite

MANILA, Philippines — A food company partly owned by Vice President Sara Duterte's husband, took in more than P319 million from China while reporting no rank-and-file employees, Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV alleged on Friday, October 2.

Trillanes made the claim at a press conference a day after House prosecutors withdrew their bid to present him as a witness in Duterte's impeachment trial. The former senator said he had asked to be dropped to relieve the prosecution of any more pressure and promised to disclose today everything he would have shared during the trial.

The former senator argued the flow of Chinese funds to companies with ties to the vice president had severe national security implications and on its own was enough to impeach and disqualify her from public office.   

"Dapat kilabutan po tayo dito... Bawal po iyan. Bawal tumanggap from a foreign government, especially high-ranking official ang vice president," Trillanes said. "Kapag hindi pa ba impeachable iyan, ewan ko nalang. Nagbubulag-bulagan tayo."

Duterte has denied all allegations of possessing unexplained wealth and in April accused Trillanes of repeating the same allegations he has made since 2016, this time with a "machinery backing him." 

Cale88's 'red flags'

Trillanes' presentation claims the funds flowed from the Chinese government and Chinese corporations, to Cale88 Foods Corp., a company with ties to Duterte's husband Mans Carpio. 

Securities and Exchange Commission Director Gerardo Del Rosario previously testified during the impeachment trial that Carpio was an incorporator, director and shareholder of Cale88 from 2021 to 2024, and that his stake rose to 47.5% in 2024, before disappearing in 2025.