By Jose Cielito Reganit
MANILA – The House prosecution on Tuesday downplayed Vice President Sara Duterte’s denial regarding her ownership of several Jollibee stores, saying she has already admitted to being one of the owners of the franchises.
House lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas pointed out that the Vice President admitted to her interest in GenCorp Industries, Inc. when she declared in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) that she is a shareholder of the company.
In both the 2022 and 2023 SALNs of the Vice President, Luistro said the ownership of Duterte in GenCorp – which has franchises of the fast-food chain Jollibee as among her business interests – was very clear.
“I wish to reiterate the jurisprudence, which I shared already before the honorable impeachment court, that the court gives more weight to admissions made by a public official. Ito ay kinakatigan ng korte ang sariling admission na ginawa ng public official (This is supported by the court, based on the voluntary admission made by the public official),” she said.
“And as a matter of fact, it throws to the public official to show that that admission is a mistake and as far as we can remember, never pa niya dinispute yung SALN na yun. Never pa niya dinispute na shareholder talaga siya ng (she has never disputed that SALN. She has never even disputed that she really is a shareholder of) GenCorp Industries, Inc.”
In a recent statement, the Vice President denied owning any Jollibee franchise, saying that she merely invested in a company “that is part of a legitimate business organization owned and operated by individuals with an established reputation for integrity and good standing.”
For the Vice President to say that ownership of shares does not equate to ownership of a franchise is completely contradictory, according to Luistro.
“You cannot operate a Jollibee unless you are a franchise holder. We know that. And siguro mas maganda sagutin niya (perhaps it would be better if she answers that) squarely before the impeachment court so that all her representations will be considered as testimony in court,” Luistro said.
“It was the respondent’s own admission under oath, and it was her own submission as well. We are just relying on her own admission.”
House Prosecutor Terry Ridon of the Bicol Saro Party-list said the Vice President, being a lawyer, should know that ownership in a company that owns a fast-food franchise means the shareholder also owns the franchise.
“Very clear, hindi ka magkakaroon ng prangkisa kung wala kang pag-aari nung kumpanya. At kung mayroon kang pag-aari sa kumpanya, ikaw rin yung may-ari. Ibig sabihin, kung mayroon kang 20 percent stake doon sa franchisee, dito pong mga fast-food na ito, eh di mayroon kang 20 percent na pag-aari doon di ba (You won’t have a franchise if you don’t own the company. And if you have ownership in the company, you are also the owner. Meaning, if you have a 20 percent stake in that franchisee, in these fast-food chains, then you own 20 percent of it, right)?” Ridon said. (PNA)
The House prosecution panel
