Duterte-Carpio impeachment trial zeroes in on US$3,220 Tokyo meal

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An upscale Tokyo restaurant bill of 205,007 pesos (about US$3,220), charged to the card of Sara Duterte-Carpio's husband during a 2023 family outing, became a focus of her impeachment trial. The spending has drawn scrutiny amid inflation and economic concerns in the Philippines.

A six-figure dinner bill in Japan involving Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s family has drawn scrutiny over her perceived lavish lifestyle, as ordinary Filipinos grapple with elevated inflation and a slowing economy. The 205,007-peso (US$3,220) tab was racked up at an upscale Tokyo restaurant in 2023 by a group of 11 people. Charged to the credit card of her lawyer-husband, Manases Carpio, the expense took centre stage on Thursday at Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, which is...