THE House prosecution team said Wednesday that official records proved Vice President Sara Z. Duterte continued engaging in business and practicing her profession as a lawyer despite a constitutional ban.
During a presentation reviewing the evidence presented at the impeachment trial, prosecution adviser and spokesperson Ace Barbers cited Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), corporate General Information Sheets (GIS), and tax returns.
“SALN, GIS at tax returns ayon sa mga papel na iyan, si VP Sara ay patuloy na nagnenegosyo at kumikita pa rin bilang abogado na isang tahasang paglabag sa ating mga batas at sa ating Saligang Batas,” Barbers said.
Barbers, a former Surigao del Norte representative, said the presentation was intended to remind the public of the evidence presented by the prosecution before the defense begins presenting its case on Nov. 9.
He cited Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution, which prohibits the vice president from practicing another profession, participating in business or holding a financial interest in government contracts while in office.
Barbers said Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) records showed that Duterte remained on the board and executive committee of Metro City Chow Foods Corp. until 2025, three years after becoming vice president.
He also questioned Duterte’s interest in GenCorp Industries Inc., which appeared in her SALNs but not in the company’s GIS filed with the SEC.
GenCorp, he noted, secured 49 government contracts, including transactions with the Davao City government headed by Duterte’s brother, Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte.
Barbers also raised questions about Cale88 Foods Corp., a company linked to Duterte’s husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
He said the reported sale of Cale88 lacked an electronic Certificate Authorizing Registration (eCAR) from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and was not reflected in the buyer’s financial records.
“Sa parehong sitwasyon, iisa ang tanong: sino ang tunay na may-ari? Ang korte na ang bahalang magdesisyon dito,” Barbers said.
He also cited BIR records showing that Duterte remained registered as a professional taxpayer under legal activities, with reported income of P1.06 million in 2024 and P1.08 million in 2025, apart from her salary as vice president.
Barbers said the BIR considered the amounts professional income, while forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera classified them as business income.
“Kung negosyo ito, ay bawal pa rin. Kahit nagbayad na ng tax, it will not legalize or justify the income,” he said.
Barbers said the prosecution was confident because its evidence came largely from Duterte’s sworn declarations and official records submitted to government agencies and banks.
“Well, unang-una, if I may quote, isang member ng prosecution team, defenseless ‘yung defense,” he said.
“Ibig sabihin, paano niyo po pasisinungalingan ang mga ebidensyang inilatag ng prosecution na ang mismong dokumentong inihain ay mula po mismo sa kampo ng defense?” he asked.
Barbers said he personally doubted that Duterte’s lawyers could produce evidence strong enough to challenge the prosecution’s findings.
“But I personally believe na wala po silang ebidensya to controvert itong mga nailatag ng prosecution,” he said.
He acknowledged that the defense had yet to present its case and that the senator-judges would decide based on the evidence from both sides.
But Barbers maintained that the prosecution’s documents would be difficult to challenge.
“Kaya again, I’d like to say that it’s going to be difficult for the defense to dispute or probably even rebut itong mga evidence that we presented,” he said.
Duterte’s lawyers have challenged the prosecution’s evidence and its interpretation of the financial and corporate records.
The allegations form part of Article II, the remaining impeachment charge involving alleged unexplained wealth.
The defense is scheduled to begin presenting evidence Nov. 9.
metrosundaily
