MANILA – Vice President Sara Duterte remained a director and Compensation Committee member of Metro City Chow Foods Corp. from 2022 to 2025 despite a constitutional ban on business participation while in office.
Defense witness Suzette Balucanag-Punay, the company’s in-house counsel, confirmed this Wednesday during cross-examination by House private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan before the Senate impeachment court.
“Sara Z. Duterte is a member of the board of directors and a member of the compensation committee,” Punay said.
She acknowledged that Duterte remained listed in the company’s general information sheets (GIS) even after becoming vice president on June 30, 2022.
Earlier, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Director Gerardo Del Rosario confirmed that Duterte owned 20 percent of Metro City Chow, with shares worth PHP50,000 out of the company’s initial PHP250,000 subscribed capital.
SEC records showed that Duterte remained a shareholder and director through 2025.
Punay, however, insisted that Duterte had no active role in the company.
“She did not participate,” Punay said. “She has no involvement. She did not attend any meetings in 2025.”
Kapunan also questioned why Duterte remained on the Compensation Committee when it was not even provided for in the company’s bylaws.
“Actually, there is no compensation committee in the bylaws,” Punay admitted.
She explained that accounting staff included committee positions in corporate filings to comply with a bank’s requirements.
“The bank will not accept the GIS with empty positions,” Punay said.
The testimony raised questions about why Duterte continued to hold corporate positions despite the defense’s claim that she was not involved in the company’s operations.
Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution prohibits the president and vice president from participating in any business during their tenure.
The prosecution is examining whether Duterte’s continued corporate positions and ownership violated this restriction.
The issue forms part of Article II, the remaining impeachment charge involving at least PHP817.87 million in alleged unexplained wealth. (PNA)
CONSTITUTIONAL BAN. House private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan (left) quizzes defense witness Suzette Balucanag-Punay, Metro City Chow Foods Corp. in-house counsel, during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate in Pasay City on Wednesday (Nov. 11, 2026). Punay confirmed that Duterte remained a director and Compensation Committee member of Metro City Chow Foods from 2022 to 2025 despite a constitutional ban on business participation while in office.
