Vice President Sara Duterte must present official documents proving she relinquished her business

House Impeachment Advisers Demand Corporate Disclosures From Vice President Sara Duterte

Vice President Sara Duterte must present official documents proving she relinquished her business positions and corporate interests after taking office in 2022, newsinfo.inquirer.net reported. Former Representative Robert Ace Barbers, serving as a House impeachment adviser and spokesperson, stated during a press briefing that the Vice President needs to resolve discrepancies found across her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALNs), corporate filings, and tax records.

Barbers challenged Duterte to provide a deed of sale, an electronic Certificate Authorizing Registration (eCAR), and official filings showing her resignation from company boards. He pointed to GenCrop Industries Inc., which appeared in Duterte’s SALN but was missing from General Information Sheets filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The inquiry also covers Cale88 Foods Corp., a company previously linked to Duterte’s husband, lawyer Manases Carpio. Barbers noted that while Cale88 was reportedly sold, the prosecution found no record of the required tax clearance for the transfer from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Barbers questioned Duterte's continued listing as a director of Metro City Chow Foods Corp. and her active professional taxpayer registration under legal activities.

Duterte Faces Constitutional Prohibitions Against Business Interests

Under Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution, the vice president faces strict prohibitions against practicing another profession, participating in business, or holding financial interests in government contracts while in office. The prosecution maintains that Duterte’s corporate and tax records raise questions about her compliance with these restrictions.

The underlying business interests form the core of Article II, the sole remaining charge in the impeachment trial focusing on allegations of unexplained wealth. BusinessWorld Online reported that the private defense counsel for Vice President Duterte-Carpio filed an objection on October 20 arguing that all prosecution exhibits are inadmissible because they stem from an impermissible fishing expedition. The defense contends that financial records from 2007 to 2025, SEC files, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reports were not originally attached to the articles of impeachment after Articles I, III, and IV were withdrawn.

Party-list Representative Terry L. Ridon criticized the defense’s blanket objections, noting that Duterte’s team actively participated in hearings and cross-examined witnesses. The prosecution’s financial expert, Alexander Cabrera, previously testified that forensic accounting identified approximately P817.87 million in allegedly unexplained wealth, with broader estimates reaching up to P1.5 billion. Presiding Officer Francis G. Escudero previously ruled that the financial documents are admissible in the Senate impeachment court.

Senate Court Pauses Proceedings Before Defense Evidence

The Senate impeachment court temporarily paused proceedings to accommodate committee hearings on the national budget. Rappler reported that Senate Secretary and Clerk of Court Renato Bantug Jr. announced the defense is expected to request subpoenas for its witness list this week, adhering to the court’s five-day rule.

The defense is scheduled to begin presenting its evidence on November 9, when proceedings officially resume. The November trial calendar includes sessions on November 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, and 23. While the defense prepares to introduce its counter-evidence, senator-judges will ultimately determine which contested documents remain admissible in the ongoing unexplained wealth proceedings.