Amnesia? Witness ‘evasive’ response draws ire of senator-judges

The first witness presented by the defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte appeared to have forgotten two things: his participation in an alleged Chinese consulate-sponsored trip in 2025 and the possibility that the Senate impeachment court could cite him in contempt.

On Day 40 of the impeachment trial, Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin drew the ire of senator-judges over his seemingly evasive answers about an alleged all-expenses-paid trip to China in November 2025.

House private prosecutor Jay Tolosa first raised the question as he challenged Adalin’s credibility following his earlier evasive answers.

“You would also admit that sometime in November 2025, you were one of the LGU officials of Davao who went to China on an all-expenses-paid tour sponsored by the Chinese consulate?” Tolosa asked.

However, instead of answering categorically, Adalin laughed and brushed off the question, saying: “I don’t think that’s relevant.”

This stunned the Senate impeachment court and drew laughter from the crowd. 

“You are funny there, Engineer Jimmy,” presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero told Adalin. 

But while Escudero appeared amused, other senator-judges were less entertained.

Senator-judge Vicente “Tito” Sotto noted that the impeachment court could request Adalin’s travel records from the Bureau of Immigration if he continued to claim he could not remember the details of his trip.

Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo, meanwhile, reminded the witness that he could be cited in contempt for lying or making a mockery of the proceedings while under oath.

“Presiding Officer, the witness appears to be making a fool of us. Sir, may I remind you that you’re under oath. What you’re doing right now — making fun of the trial — that is prohibited. We can cite you in contempt,” Tulfo said.

Adalin eventually confirmed that he had traveled to China on a personal trip last year. But when asked about another trip to the country in November 2018, he again claimed he could no longer remember the details, prompting another rebuke from Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo.

“Do you want me to give you even the CCTV footage of your trip? November 12, 2018, PR356 China, you stayed there for two days,” Tulfo said.

“You traveled a lot…And I’m not criticizing you, but how much is your salary? How come you are always abroad?” he added.

Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros also pressed Adalin for details about his travels. The assessor, however, maintained that he could not recall the places he visited or which agency facilitated the trips.

“Sir, I’m sorry but this is no laughing matter. It is unbelievable that an engineer, a city assessor, who claims to be knowledgeable on the maps that the defense and prosecution presented, is unaware of the areas he visited in a large country,” Hontiveros said.

Adalin explained that he was not particularly keen on traveling, which was why he had forgotten the details of his trips.

But Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo pointed to a more serious reason for the prosecution’s questions: alleged inward remittances from China.

“You know, Mr. Adalin, we are asking about your travel to China because Calle88 — a company that Duterte’s husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, co-owns — allegedly sent inward remittances worth P319 million from China and Hong Kong to them,” Tulfo said.

“It’s not good to hear that…government officials, especially those in high positions, are receiving money from China, a country that we have a territorial dispute with,” he added.

By the end of the questioning, Adalin had managed to recall some details of his trips. Next time, senators are likely to remind him about proper decorum in an impeachment court. – Rappler.com