Duterte’s undeclared wealth may reach P1.5 billion — forensic financial analyst

TESTIMONY. Forensic financial analyst and lawyer Alex Cabrera testifies on Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth during her impeachment trial on October 12, 2026.

Senate PRIB

Alex Cabrera says this is the 'maximum' estimate for Sara Duterte's undeclared wealth after he described his initial findings of P817 million as conservative

AT A GLANCE

• Forensic financial analyst Alex Cabrera testified that Vice President Sara Duterte's undeclared wealth could reach up to P1.5 billion from 2022 to 2025.
• Cabrera's estimate includes P475 million in confidential funds, P100 million in discrepancies from Anti-Money Laundering Council records, and an increased ownership stake in Gencorp valued at P250 million.

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MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte‘s undeclared wealth from 2022 to 2025 could reach as high as P1.5 billion, a forensic financial analyst testified before the Senate impeachment court on Monday, October 12.

On Day 38 of the trial, Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero asked forensic financial analyst and lawyer Alex Cabrera to estimate the “maximum” or ceiling for the possible amount of Duterte’s undeclared wealth, after Cabrera described his initial P817.87-million estimate as conservative.

“Based on your expertise and review of the documents, what would be the ceiling? If this is just the bare minimum, what would be the maximum?” Escudero asked.

Cabrera said the amount could reach P1.5 billion if his computation included the P475 million in confidential funds awarded to Duterte, another P100 million in discrepancies in Anti-Money Laundering Council records, and an increase in his estimated ownership stake in Gencorp to 45%, amounting to P250 million. 

“Even if we know where the confidential funds came from, their source can be explained. But if the source is illegal, the wealth also becomes unexplained, even if you know where it came from,” Cabrera said in Filipino.

The forensic financial analyst reviewed the financial, bank, corporate, and tax records of Duterte and her spouse, Manases Carpio, as a witness for the prosecution in Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth. 

Escudero, for his part, asked Cabrera whether the computation should account for taxes owed to the government on the unexplained income. The latter agreed that the corresponding tax liabilities should eventually be calculated and deducted.

“Unexplained wealth refers to the total amount of wealth. If there are payables, we should deduct those as well, and compute the taxes,” said Cabrera. 

Cabrera earlier testified that his P817.87-million estimate includes undeclared income linked to Duterte’s business interests in Cale88 Foods Corp., Metro City Chow Foods Corp., and Gencorp Industries Inc. – Rappler.com