Sen. Raffy Tulfo said it baffles him why Vice President Sara Duterte did not divest from her business after becoming Vice President, pointing out that she is a lawyer and is married to one, as well.
Tulfo also said he is sure Duterte is surrounded by “brilliant lawyers” who could have advised her about the need to divest from the business in line with the constitutional provision that prohibits the President, Vice-President, and members of the Cabinet from practicing any other profession or participating in any business, among others, to avoid a conflict of interest.
Tulfo raised this point at Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday as a Securities and Exchange Commission official said Duterte remained on the Board of Directors and on the compensation committee of Metro City Chow Foods Corporation after she became Vice President.
“Ang ipinagtataka ko lang, si VP Sara ay abogado, si attorney Mans Carpio ay abogado and I’m very sure nung siya ay tumakbo sa pagka-VP, maraming nakapaligid sa kanya na brilliant lawyers, no doubt about that. Wala man lang isa na nakapag-advise sa kanya na VP, kailangan mo mag-divest kasi bawal iyan,” he said.
He noted that Duterte has been Vice President for four years and nobody had brought up the possible violation.
“It’s mind boggling for me, it doesn’t make sense at all,” he said.
Tulfo then specifically asked the defense team what it would have advised her to do knowing that she was involved in numerous businesses.
Defense counsel Justin Gular declined to answer, saying it would be inappropriate to respond to a “hypothetical question” at this point.
Gular also noted that the counsels have been reminded not to tackle conclusions of law.