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The spokesperson for Vice President Sara Duterte stated on Monday that testimony from a Davao City assessor’s office official has weakened the prosecution’s case regarding allegations of undeclared property in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. argued that the testimony of engineer Jaime Adalin, an official from the Davao City Assessor’s Office, supports the defense’s position that the property in Barangay Matina Crossing, registered under the name of Duterte’s husband, Manases Carpio, was indeed included in the Vice President’s financial disclosures. Panelo noted that Adalin’s testimony clarified that Barangay Matina Crossing and Barangay 74-A refer to the same location, suggesting the property cited by prosecutors is the same one reflected in Duterte’s SALN. "The important question is, was it declared or not? And it seems clear that it was declared," Panelo told reporters at the Senate. He further contended that the assessed and market values found in transaction documents align with those in the SALN, making it unlikely that the records refer to a different property. Panelo maintained that the burden of proof rests with the prosecution to demonstrate that the property was omitted from the SALN. "The prosecution has not shown any other property," he said. "We are not dealing with possibilities here. The burden of proof is on them." During the proceedings, prosecutors questioned Adalin’s credibility, specifically regarding his recollection of an official trip to China. Panelo dismissed these questions as irrelevant to the core issue of the property declaration and cautioned against politicizing the matter. The defense’s comments follow a recent exchange with House prosecution spokesperson Gerville Luistro, who had characterized Panelo’s assessment of the prosecution’s performance as "wishful thinking." Luistro argued that the Senate impeachment court’s decision to admit the prosecution’s documentary evidence—including land titles, bank records, and SALNs—on November 5 signifies that the documents are being considered by the senator-judges. In response, Panelo argued that the court’s admission of evidence does not equate to a finding that the allegations have been proven. "Just because the court admitted your evidence does not mean your case is very strong," he said. Article source: The Daily Tribune | Image credit: The Daily Tribune
The spokesperson for Vice President Sara Duterte stated on Monday that testimony from a Davao City assessor’s office official has weakened the prosecution’s case regarding allegations of undeclared property in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. argued that the testimony of engineer Jaime Adalin, an official from the Davao City Assessor’s Office, supports the defense’s position that the property in Barangay Matina Crossing, registered under the name of Duterte’s husband, Manases Carpio, was indeed included in the Vice President’s financial disclosures. Panelo noted that Adalin’s testimony clarified that Barangay Matina Crossing and Barangay 74-A refer to the same location, suggesting the property cited by prosecutors is the same one reflected in Duterte’s SALN. “The important question is, was it declared or not? And it seems clear that it was declared,” Panelo told reporters at the Senate. He further contended that the assessed and market values found in transaction documents align with those in the SALN, making it unlikely that the records refer to a different property. Panelo maintained that the burden of proof rests with the prosecution to demonstrate that the property was omitted from the SALN. “The prosecution has not shown any other property,” he said. “We are not dealing with possibilities here. The burden of proof is on them.” During the proceedings, prosecutors questioned Adalin’s credibility, specifically regarding his recollection of an official trip to China. Panelo dismissed these questions as irrelevant to the core issue of the property declaration and cautioned against politicizing the matter. The defense’s comments follow a recent exchange with House prosecution spokesperson Gerville Luistro, who had characterized Panelo’s assessment of the prosecution’s performance as “wishful thinking.” Luistro argued that the Senate impeachment court’s decision to admit the prosecution’s documentary evidence—including land titles, bank records, and SALNs—on November 5 signifies that the documents are being considered by the senator-judges. In response, Panelo argued that the court’s admission of evidence does not equate to a finding that the allegations have been proven. “Just because the court admitted your evidence does not mean your case is very strong,” he said.
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