House prosecutors to present records of VP Duterte’s business interests

MANILA, Philippines — House prosecutors will present corporate and government records to support allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte retained financial interests and continued participating in private businesses after assuming office in 2022, prosecution legal spokesperson and counsel Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. said Saturday.“

Isa sa mga points raised in the articles of impeachment, ’yung hindi pag-divest sa mga businesses and participating in those businesses kahit na noong panahon na naging vice president na siya,” Tolosa said at the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

(One of the points raised in the articles of impeachment is the failure to divest from businesses and continuing to participate in those businesses even after she became vice president.)

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READ: Senate has ‘sole power’ to decide VP Duterte impeachment case – amici curiae

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The allegation is included in Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of unexplained wealth, inaccurate wealth declarations and failure to divest from business interests while in office.Prosecutors have begun presenting Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) as part of their case.

Retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang testified on the legal requirements governing SALN disclosures, financial interests and divestment by public officials.

The prosecution then presented lawyer Karen Batu, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Ombudsman’s Central Records Division, who authenticated and reviewed Duterte’s SALNs from her years in public office.Batu testified that Duterte continued to list several business interests after assuming the vice presidency in 2022, including Davao New Royal Taipan Corp., Metro City Chow Foods Corp., Timesquare Bee Foods Corp. and Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines Inc.

Additional business interests appeared in subsequent SALNs. Batu said Duterte’s 2024 and 2025 declarations continued to list business interests but did not indicate corresponding shares of stock or acquisition costs.The issue also appeared in earlier SALNs.

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Batu testified that several declarations dating back to 2007 identified business interests or financial connections without corresponding declarations of shares of stock or acquisition costs.Cabotaje-Tang had testified that investments such as shares of stock are considered personal property and should be declared in SALNs together with their acquisition costs.

Prosecutors are now preparing to present Securities and Exchange Commission records involving companies in which Duterte declared interests, as well as other government documents intended to establish the nature and extent of those financial connections.

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They also plan to examine government procurement records to determine whether the companies under scrutiny had transactions with government agencies.The Constitution provides that the president, vice president and Cabinet members, among other officials, may not directly or indirectly participate in any business or hold a financial interest in any government contract, franchise or special privilege during their tenure.

Tolosa said prosecutors would present evidence concerning Duterte’s financial interests and leave its legal significance to the senator-judges.“After naming mailatag ’yung ebidensya namin kung anong makikita na may mga financial interest siya sa mga negosyo, then it will be up to the senator-judges to consider that as well,” he said.

(After we lay down the evidence showing what financial interests she has in the businesses, it will be up to the senator-judges to consider that as well.)

The corporate and government records are expected to allow prosecutors to compare Duterte’s SALN declarations with records of ownership, financial interests and possible government transactions involving the companies.

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Batu’s testimony established what Duterte reported in her SALNs but did not determine whether the declarations constituted prohibited business participation or another violation.“But again, it will be up to the appreciation of the impeachment court,” Tolosa said.