Sara Duterte trial: Prosecution may call Jaime Cruz as witness

MANILA, Philippines — Jaime T. Cruz, who was identified as an incorporator of the same businesses in which Vice President Sara Duterte declared having stocks, may also be called as a witness before the Senate Impeachment Court, House prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers said Monday.

Barbers made the statement after the conclusion of the 27th day of Duterte’s impeachment trial, during which Cruz’s name surfaced several times as the vice president’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) records were examined.

READ: Sara Duterte trial: SEC docs show SALN, corporate record discrepancies

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According to Barbers, the prosecution still has several witnesses and documents to present and could add or remove witnesses before completing its case, including Cruz.

“He may be called, but we haven’t discussed that yet,” Barbers told the media.

In an interview, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, who serves as the House’s co-lead prosecutor in presenting evidence for Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth, likewise said the prosecution was still deciding whether Cruz would be a vital witness.

Ridon pointed out that Cruz was the former special envoy for trade and investments during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

However, Barbers said Cruz’s identification as the same person remained unconfirmed.

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“We were told he was the same guy. But we have to confirm this. I’m sorry, but we cannot confirm at the moment,” he explained.

Violation of anti-dummy law?

Meanwhile, fellow prosecution spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said Cruz’s name in the SEC records warranted further examination.

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He noted that while Duterte had listed Gencorp in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, her name did not appear in the company’s General Information Sheet.

Instead, JTC Group of Companies, which is represented by Cruz, was declared as the corporate shareholder in Gencorp.

“This is not just an incidental name because it shows a big discrepancy,” Alonto Adiong said.

He also questioned why Duterte included the company in her sworn declaration when its corporate records did not identify her among the listed shareholders.

Barbers, meanwhile, said documents concerning JTC and Cruz needed closer examination, including whether a trust agreement could explain the arrangement.

“Who is Jaime T. Cruz? Is he a dummy?” Barbers asked in the media briefing.

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“But we’re not saying in this particular issue that there is a dummy,” he added. “That needs to be proven with evidence too.” /mcm