Impeachment court hears AMLC on ₱319 million sent to a firm tied to Sara Duterte's husband; prosecutors to drop bribery charge
The Senate impeachment court sat on Monday, October 5, for Day 33. AMLC executive director Ronel Buenaventura testified on covered and suspicious transaction reports tied to Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, including about ₱319.3 million in remittances from China to Cale88 Foods Corp. (GMA News, Philstar, Manila Bulletin). Presiding officer Chiz Escudero denied Sen. Imee Marcos's objection to discussing foreign-currency accounts, citing Bangko Sentral rules. The defense had tried to block the witness and lost. Separately, House prosecutors confirmed they will drop the bribery charge, and the Palace questioned the move (Tribune, Philstar). Trillanes had alleged the China-linked flows at a press conference on October 2.
The wealth article is the heart of the case. If the court accepts that money flowed from China-linked firms to a company tied to the vice president's husband, it shifts the debate from "unexplained" to "who paid and why", although the AMLC itself draws no legal conclusion.
This is a political process, not a public service change. It matters for the 2028 race and for how much trust voters place in the Senate as a court.
Documents from the AMLC and banks give the court firm records to test, which is better than relying on press conferences.
Reported transactions are not proof of crime, and the defense says the case is political and built on claims by a long-time critic.
Separate three things: what a witness said, what documents show, and what the court finds. So far only the first two exist. Watch cross-examination of the AMLC figures and whether the dropped bribery charge shortens the trial.
DailyDrop Philippines edition No. 2 · Morning · TUE., OCT. 6, 2026