MANILA, Philippines – Nanatili si Vice President Sara Duterte bilang miyembro ng board of directors ng Metro City Chow Foods Corp. nagmamay-ari ng isang prangkisa ng Chowking sa Davao City, mula 2022 hanggang 2025 kahit walang aktibong partisipasyon sa operasyon nito, ayon sa corporate counsel ng kumpanya nitong Miyerkules.
Ibinahagi ni Atty. Suzette Balucanag-Punay ang testimonya sa direct examination ng depensa hinggil sa pagkakasangkot ni Duterte sa Metro City Chow, na nakalista sa kanyang statement of assets, liabilities and net worth mula 2017 hanggang 2025.
Batay sa articles of incorporation ng Metro City Chow, si Duterte ay kabilang sa mga incorporator ng kumpanya na may 20 porsyentong share. Katumbas ito ng P50,000 subscribed capital, at P12,500 paid-up capital.
Ayon kay Balucanag-Punay, “Sara Z Duterte is a member of the board of directors and a member of the compensation committee,” mula 2022 hanggang 2025, batay sa general information sheets.
Ipinaliwanag niya na sa articles of corporation, dapat ay may limang direktor, at dahil may limang stockholders, lahat sila ay naging direktor.
Ngunit nang tanungin ni defense counsel Justin Gular hinggil sa partisipasyon at impluwensya ni Duterte sa korporasyon, paulit-ulit na tumestigo si Balucanag-Punay na wala ito.
“She does not attend the meetings and I have not seen her attend any company gatherings or at the Christmas party. I don’t see her, she’s not really involved in the business,” pahayag ng corporate lawyer.
Iginiit din ni Balucanag-Punay ang parehong pahayag hinggil sa decision making process, operation, management at finances ng Metro City Chow.
“She has no participation or involvement,” pag-uulit ng abogado.
Naalala rin niya: “I have attended meetings, board meetings also and she is not there. There were even two significant incidents in the branch last year and I actually asked if what would be the effect to the vice president and the operations manager said, ‘Wala siya nag-apil-apil jud ever since.’” (“Hindi talaga siya nakikialam simula pa noon.”)
Nang tanungin hinggil sa pagiging miyembro ni Duterte sa compensation committee ng kumpanya, ipinaliwanag ni Balucanag-Punay na walang ganoong panel sa loob ng kumpanya.
“Actually, there is no compensation committee in the by-laws of the corporation… The accounting staff said that the bank will not accept the GIS with empty positions, so all of the directors must have a position in the executive committee,” dagdag pa niya.
Ang Metro City Chow Foods Corp. ang nagpapatakbo ng San Pedro Branch ng fast-food chain na Chowking, sa Davao City. Ernie Reyes
