House prosecutors confirmed on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, that National Bureau of Investigation findings regarding multi-million properties linked to Vice President Sara Duterte arrived too late to be integrated into the ongoing impeachment trial, as the prosecution formally rested its case.
The timing marks a definitive close to the presentation of evidence in the Senate impeachment court. Lead prosecutor Rep. Jinky Luistro announced during an October 20 briefing that the panel was wrapping up its submission of documents for the unexplained wealth charge, leaving no procedural room to formally absorb the latest investigative leads gathered by state investigators.
National Bureau of Investigation Findings on Davao Properties
The investigative thread centers on high-value real estate holdings in Davao City and elsewhere that prosecutors argue clash sharply with the official asset declarations filed by the Vice President. NBI Director Melvin Matibag first publicized the discrepancies on October 12, pointing to properties where acquisition costs declared in official documents sat below independent market valuations and assessed worth.
Among the properties highlighted by investigators is a sprawling site in Barangay Catigan, Davao City. Public records listed the land as agricultural with an acquisition cost of approximately P890,000, but independent appraisals and site inspections valued the holding between P14 million and P61 million. Investigators documented substantial improvements on the land, including his and hers
swimming pools and a helipad.
They need to give a stronger explanation for the property they declared as worth P800,000. When the NBI presented this, turned out to be a big mansion with two swimming pools and a helipad.
Rep. Joel Chua, House Prosecutor, via Philstar
The inquiry into these assets originated after dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. alleged he delivered cash to Vice President Sara Duterte, her brother Rep. Paolo Duterte, and former president Rodrigo Duterte under instructions from former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. Both the Duterte camp and Velasco’s camp rejected the allegations. Vice President Duterte dismissed the NBI’s efforts to associate the properties with her family, characterizing the move as a form of public deception.
Bureau Flags Undeclared Properties Across Multiple Locations
The unfolding scrutiny over real estate valuation spans multiple locations beyond Davao City. Additional properties flagged by the bureau include a Davao restaurant named Prime Bistro registered under the Vice President’s husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, along with holdings in Don Bosco, Parañaque, and Aundanao. In each instance, prosecutors and investigators pointed to gaps between declared acquisition values and independent assessments of land and building improvements.
The timing of the bureau’s disclosures coincided with the final days of witness testimony before the Senate impeachment court. The court formally convened its proceedings on July 6, following a House impeachment vote last May 2026 centered on allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes.
As the trial progressed, the prosecution team streamlined its strategy by dropping three out of four initial articles of impeachment—setting aside confidential funds, bribery, and an alleged assassination plot. The case narrowed strictly to Article II on unexplained wealth and non-divestment of business interests. The panel’s final witness, forensic analyst and lawyer Alexander Cabrera, testified that the Vice President and her husband accumulated between P817.87 million and P1.5 billion in undeclared assets.
Referral to the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice
Because the prosecution formally closed its evidentiary presentation on October 13—the day after Cabrera finished his testimony—lawmakers confirmed that the newly surfaced NBI findings cannot be folded into the active court filings. Representative Luistro stated that the panel is leaving subsequent action up to the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice to pursue independently.
While the impeachment tribunal heard brief interjections on the properties from senator-judges such as Sen. Erwin Tulfo, the formal record for the trial rests on the documentation already submitted. Representatives from the prosecution maintained that the lifestyle portrayed by the declared asset figures stands in contrast to the physical reality of the inspected estates.
They tried to give us the impression that they are just a simple family with a simple life. But how can we characterize them as simple people if they have a mansion?
Rep. Jinky Luistro, Lead Prosecutor, via Philstar
The Vice President has rejected the ownership claims tied to the disputed properties and accused the House prosecution of fabricating evidence. Meanwhile, investigators continue examining the broader portfolio of declared and assessed holdings as external agencies evaluate potential legal steps outside the Senate tribunal.