Sara Duterte Spokesperson Calls China Trip Questions Unfair

What changed

In Manila, Vice President Sara Duterte’s spokesperson, lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., said questioning defense witness Jamie Adalin about his trips to China was “improper and unfair.” The statement was made publicly on November 9, 2026, in a video screengrab attributed to the Office of the Vice President.

Why it matters

The dispute is about the fairness of the questioning, not yet about what Adalin’s China trips meant. The account does not say what he was asked, why the trips were raised, or whether the challenge led to any procedural action.

That leaves the statement as a political and legal characterization rather than a documented change in the case. The next meaningful development would be a clearer account of the questioning or a formal response from the proceedings themselves.