Sara Duterte as firm board member during VP term against charter — Suan
MANILA, Philippines — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday said Vice President Sara Duterte appeared to have been listed as a board member of a firm during her term, and Cagayan de Oro 1st District Rep. Lordan Suan said this is against the 1987 Constitution.
Gerardo Del Rosario, director of the Company Registration and Monitoring Department of the Securities and Exchange Commission, revealed these findings during the House panel’s impeachment hearing.
READ: Luistro: Sara Duterte impeach hearings enter ‘forensic truth’ phase
Rosario said a certain “Sarah Z. Duterte” was listed in the General Information Sheet (GIS) of Metro City Chow Foods as a member of the board of directors from 2022 to 2025, as well as a stockholder of the company.
“Can you confirm if the name Sarah Z. Duterte listed as a member of the board of Metro City Chow Foods Corporation is the same Vice President Sara Z. Duterte?” Suan asked.
“The reference here is Sarah Z. Duterte; then I presume that this is the Honorable Vice President Sara Z. Duterte,” Rosario said.
Rosario also confirmed that Duterte has “500 shares” in the company based on its 2025 GIS.
Suan noted that the Constitution prohibits this.
Article VII, Section 13 of the 1987 Constitution states: “The President, Vice-President, the Members of the Cabinet, and their deputies or assistants shall not, unless otherwise provided in this Constitution, hold any other office or employment during their tenure.”
“They shall not, during said tenure, directly or indirectly, practice any other profession, participate in any business, or be financially interested in any contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by the Government or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries. They shall strictly avoid conflict of interest in the conduct of their office,” it added.
“The resource person just confirmed that she has 500 shares in the company,” Suan said. /mcm
