A Securities and Exchange Commission official said Vice President Sara Duterte remained a member of the Board of Directors of Metro City Chow Foods Corporation from 2022 to 2025, the years when she was already serving as Vice President.
Gerardo del Rosario, director of the SEC’s Company Registration and Monitoring Department, testified in the impeachment trial on the corporate records of companies associated with Duterte.
Del Rosario cited SEC records showing that Duterte was an incorporator of Metro City Chow Foods when it was incorporated in 2016.
The SEC records also showed that she was a member of its Board of Directors and Executive Committee from 2018 to 2025.
Private prosecutor Erwin Matib asked if the Vice President could be a member of the board of the company after taking her oath as Vice President.
Del Rosario said there is a provision in the Constitution stating that the President, Vice President, and members of the cabinet cannot hold another office, engage in their profession, or have business interests in order to prevent a conflict of interest.
Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero noted that the Constitution did not mention “business interest” and instead stated that what is prohibited is to “participate in any business.”
Del Rosario initially said his understanding is that the officials cannot participate in any business, and when pressed by Escudero where it is stated in the provision, the SEC official said his Tagalog may have been incorrect.
The 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.”