Defense witness says he 'partly paid' VP Sara's husband for P200K Ginza meal

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A defense witness on Thursday said he "partly" reimbursed Atty. Manases Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, for the P200,000 credit card bill for a meal in Ginza, Tokyo in Japan.

Atty. Anel Antero, a suppossed close friend of the Vice President and her husband, made the testimony during Day 43 of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Antero testified that he was with Carpio and their nine other law school friends when they dined in Ginza and used Carpio’s credit card to pay for the bill. He said he later reimbursed Carpio with 40,000 Japanese Yen or around P16,000.

“Naalala ko po ang naging share ko po ay apat na lapad. That’s 40,000 Yen,” Antero said during direct examination of Lindon Bacquel.

“Sa pagkakaalam ko po, lahat naman po kami na contribute,” Antero added.

Private prosecutor Virgil Ligutan, in cross examination, asked Antero if he could provide a photo of him showing that he was with the 11 people who dined in Ginza with Carpio.

To which Antero replied, “wala po akong dalang photograph.”

(I don’t have any photograph with me.)

During the questioning of Ligutan, Antero also said that he received compensation from Carpio since Antero works in Carpio’s law firm.

But when Ligutan asked Antero if he received over P580,000 remittance from Carpio based on Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Antero did not give a categorical answer.

“Honestly, I don't recall,” Antero said.

Ligutan said such money transfer happened in July 2020 based on AMLC records.

Antero responded by saying “I still don’t recall.”

Defense counsel Bacquel objected in many instances by questioning the relevance of Ligutan’s questions, but Ligutan cited the Constitutional provision mandating public officials and their family members to lead a modest life and refrain from ostentatious display of wealth.

“This is central to the unexplained wealth, your honor. This is in the law: public officials and members of their family should lead a modest life. How is that irrelevant? Being the spouse of the the Vice President does not make him immune from the requirements of leading a modest life, your honor,” Ligutan said.

Bacquel, however, argued that Antero’s testimony is limited to the Ginza meal, not the Constitutional provisions. —VAL, GMA News