The first defense witness of Vice President Sara Duterte faced intense questioning and warnings from senator-judges during the Duterte Impeachment Trial after repeatedly failing to recall details about his alleged trips to China.
During Monday’s continuation of the impeachment proceedings, House prosecution lawyer Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. questioned Davao City Assessor Engr. Jaime Adalin regarding an alleged all-expenses-paid trip to China in November 2025.
Adalin initially testified that he could not remember whether he had traveled to China, prompting prosecutors to challenge his credibility as a witness.
When Adalin suggested the question was not important, Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero immediately intervened and reminded him of its relevance.
Escudero clarified that the court needed to determine whether Adalin had forgotten the trip itself or merely the exact date of travel.
The witness later stated that he may have forgotten only the date.
However, Adalin continued to provide unclear answers when asked whether he had indeed traveled to China during the period identified by the prosecution.
As a result, Senator-Judge Vicente “Tito” Sotto III warned that the Bureau of Immigration could be asked to provide Adalin’s travel records to verify whether the trip took place.
Sotto stressed that the line of questioning was directly related to assessing the witness’s credibility.
Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo also sharply criticized Adalin after noting what he described as inconsistent answers and apparent laughter while responding to questions.
Tulfo told the court that the witness appeared to be making light of the proceedings.
He reminded Adalin that he was under oath and could be cited for contempt if he failed to take his testimony seriously.
The senator further warned that treating the proceedings as a joke could result in sanctions from the impeachment court.
Meanwhile, Senator-Judge Raffy Tulfo revisited Adalin’s other overseas trips and questioned how he was able to finance his travels based on his position as a Davao City official.
As the questioning continued, Adalin eventually confirmed that he had traveled to China after asking his office to verify his travel records.
He testified that several Davao City officials joined him on the trip, including the city engineer, city treasurer, and city administrator.
Adalin maintained that the trip was personal in nature and that the participants paid for their own expenses.
Senator-Judge Risa Hontiveros also scrutinized another trip taken by Adalin to China in January 2026.
Based on travel records presented during the hearing, Adalin allegedly arrived in Beijing on January 25 and departed from Shanghai on January 30.
When asked whether he had visited Beijing, the witness answered that they had “probably” gone there.
Hontiveros expressed frustration over the response, noting that Adalin served as a city assessor and would be expected to identify and understand locations and maps.
The witness explained that he was not fond of traveling and therefore did not easily remember the places he had visited.
The senator challenged that explanation and questioned why he could not recall locations he had personally traveled to.
In a separate line of questioning by the prosecution, it was also revealed that a Davao City delegation reportedly stayed in China for 25 days from January 5 to January 30, 2026.
House lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro questioned the unusually long duration of the stay and sought clarification on who financed the trip.
Luistro argued that a 25-day stay abroad was uncommon if the purpose was merely tourism or personal travel.
Despite the questions raised by lawmakers and prosecutors, Adalin maintained that all expenses for the trip were personally funded.
Adalin became the first witness presented by Duterte’s defense team on the 40th day of the impeachment trial.
His testimony was intended to address allegations by the prosecution regarding supposedly undeclared assets of the Vice President in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
The Duterte Impeachment Trial continues to focus on allegations of unexplained wealth against Vice President Sara Duterte.