VICE President Sara Z. Duterte continued to serve as a director and executive committee member of a private food business until 2025 — three years after taking office — in apparent violation of the constitutional prohibition on public officials engaging in private enterprise, the House impeachment prosecution disclosed Wednesday.
Prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers presented corporate records showing Duterte sat on the board of Metro City Chow Foods Corp., which operates a Chowking outlet in Davao City, from 2018 through 2025, and was listed as an executive committee member from 2022 to 2025 — the very period during which she served as the country’s second‑highest official.
Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution explicitly bars the President and Vice President from directly or indirectly practicing any profession or participating in any business during their term.
“This is clearly prohibited by our Constitution,” Barbers stated. “One cannot manage the government with one hand while running a business with the other.” He noted that the evidence is drawn from official filings — General Information Sheets submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), and income tax returns — documents that the Vice President herself signed and certified as accurate. “When you yourself are the author of these declarations, you cannot simply dismiss them,” Barbers emphasized. “These are not mere accusations; they amount to an admission.”
Forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera also confirmed that Duterte had been an incorporator of the firm since 2007, when it was known as City Hall King Chow Foods Corp., and held a 20‑percent ownership stake. The findings form a core part of Article II, the sole remaining impeachment charge, which alleges unexplained wealth, failure to truthfully disclose financial interests, and prohibited business participation. The prosecution is scheduled to resume presenting its case on November 9, at which point the defense will begin its rebuttal.
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