Senator questions Davao City assessor's shifting testimony at Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin faced questions over his credibility at the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, November 9, after Senator-judge Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said his testimony on a Davao property had shifted, according to Rappler.

The questioning came on Day 40 of the trial, which is tackling Article II of the impeachment complaint on allegations of unexplained wealth. Part of that article concerns properties allegedly left out of Duterte's 2024 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

The prosecution has alleged that Duterte did not declare two Davao properties: a lot in Matina, Davao City, which her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, bought for P6 million in July 2024, and a property in the Island Garden City of Samal acquired for P3 million in 2018. The defense maintains the properties were properly declared, while prosecutors question whether the land title cited by the defense corresponds to the property listed in the SALN.

Asked by presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero whether the P10-million property in Duterte's 2024 SALN was the same as Carpio's 379-square-meter lot covered by a transfer certificate of title ending in 0775, Adalin first said yes, pointing to similar figures in the tax declarations, Rappler reported.

He became uncertain, however, when the prosecution showed photographs of a commercial building on the residential lot. Adalin later said a photo without business signage matched the image his office's appraisers had submitted, but he could not confirm whether a restaurant called "Prime Bistro," seen in other photos, was the same property because his office's records showed no signage.

Pangilinan pressed him on the change. "Why are your answers shifting?" the senator asked, later remarking that there were clearly inconsistencies in the assessor's testimony.

Under questioning by Senator-judge Bam Aquino, Adalin also admitted he had not checked all of Duterte's properties in Barangay 74-A. "I was unable to check all of her properties because the subpoena only specified the title ending 0775," he said. He said he was not sure how many properties she owned in the barangay but that his office could submit an official document if the court required it.