A screengrab of Vice President Sara Duterte’s video statement on her Facebook page on Monday, October 12, to address her ongoing impeachment case and ties to China.
Anna Mogato | October 12, 2026
MANILA — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his vice president could pose a “national security issue” after she and her husband received millions of pesos from Chinese state-controlled companies.
At a press conference in Singapore, Marcos raised concern over Duterte’s alleged Chinese ties, which were revealed during her ongoing impeachment hearing at the Senate.
“What’s most disturbing about it is the Chinese money,” Marcos said. “That now rises to a national security issue, if it’s true. That’s why the Department of National Defense responded, and they said they have to look into this.”
He further said: “Nothing would make me happier than proof that it is not true; then there is one less thing I have to worry about. But if it is true, it is a threat at the highest level to the republic.”
In last week’s Senate impeachment proceedings, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Bautista revealed that the vice president’s husband, Manases Carpio, had received 319 million pesos through Cale88, a banana chip manufacturing and exporting company.
Last week, the National Security Council said it would look into reports that Cale88 received money from China-based companies and the national security implications of these remittances.
“If it’s not true [that Duterte received Chinese money], then good! There’s no problem. But if it is, then we have a problem,” Marcos said.
“So the first step in dealing with this whole situation, these allegations being thrown [at Duterte] is to find the evidence and see what the truth is.”
Duterte, at her own press conference also on Monday, hit back at Marcos for considering her a threat since 2023, when the Duterte-Marcos tandem had a falling out.
“It’s worrisome that this statement would come from [Marcos] because he already said since 2023 that they consider me a threat. Secondly, his statements are also worrisome because it’s like he’s saying that conducting business with China is also a threat to the country,” Duterte said.
“So what is it? Is it really not allowed to conduct business with China because it’s a national security risk?”