HONTIVEROS SAYS CHINESE STATE FIRMS AMONG CALE88 FUNDERS

Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros said some Chinese companies that sent a total of PHP319.32 million to Cale88 Foods Corp. were state-owned enterprises.
The AMLC confirmed the remittances went to Cale88 but said its records did not establish that the money came from the Chinese government or directly went to Vice President Sara Duterte or her husband, Manases Carpio.
Hontiveros identified China National Township Enterprises Co. Ltd. and Xinjiang Fruit Industry Group-linked Beijing Jianweifang Food Co. among the companies she said had state ties.
AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura said the transactions could warrant further investigation but emphasized that the records were not conclusive proof of unexplained or ill-gotten wealth.
The impeachment court also examined discrepancies in Cale88’s financial figures and a separate correction involving Carpio-related bank transactions, including a previously reported PHP2-billion transaction later corrected to PHP2 million.