House prosecutors are examining corporate earnings, shareholdings, and dividend records involving Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, to determine whether her declared wealth can be accounted for by legitimate business income.

Private prosecutor Erwin Matib said Monday that Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) records to be presented in Duterte’s impeachment trial would show no dividends paid to Duterte and Carpio by companies linked to them.

Matib outlined the evidence while offering the testimony of SEC Company Registration and Monitoring Department Director Gerardo del Rosario before the Senate impeachment court.

The prosecution is examining the companies’ earnings and dividend distributions alongside Duterte’s shareholdings, corporate positions, and business interests disclosed in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).

“Importante ito, dahil gusto natin makita kung ang mga kumpanyang ito ay talagang may naibigay na lehitimong income kay VP Sara Duterte na maaaring makatulong magpaliwanag sa paglaki ng kanyang declared net worth (This is important because we want to see if these companies actually provided a legitimate income to VP Sara Duterte, which could help explain the increase in her declared net worth),” Matib said.

Matib said SEC and company records would establish the companies’ earnings and whether dividends were declared or distributed to their stockholders.

The prosecution’s offer of testimony covers five areas: the couple’s alleged business ownership; their shares and other interests; company earnings and dividends; corporate filings identifying their positions; and sales and connections among companies linked to Duterte.

Among the companies identified by Matib were City Hall King Chow Foods Corp., Metro City Chow Foods Corp., GenCorp Industries Inc., Cale88 Foods Corp., Mati City Ice Plant and Cold Storage, Geometry Security and Investigation Agency Inc., and Carpio Lawyers.

He also cited Great Jolly Times Food Corp., Timesquare Bee Foods Corp., Davao New Royal Taipan Foods Corp., Davao Emerging Taipans Corp., 3Kids Trucking Services Inc., CYK&T Davao Corp., SGT Fortune Horse Corp., Davao Bounty Times Foods Corp., Madayaw Fisheries Inc., Amianan Shores Inc. and Cabletow 88 Shipping and Marine Services Inc.

Matib said the prosecution would compare the value of Duterte’s shares and other corporate interests with the assets she declared in her SALNs.

He said Del Rosario would present corporate filings submitted to the SEC, including articles of incorporation and other records, and testify on whether Duterte’s name and interests remained in the filings during her vice presidency.

Matib also cited sales reported by companies linked to Duterte, including GenCorp Industries, and said the prosecution would examine what he described as interlocking shareholders, directors and officers among the companies.

He identified Jaime T. Cruz as one individual whose name repeatedly appeared in the SEC records the prosecution plans to present.

Defense lawyer Justin Nicol Gular objected to portions of Matib’s offer concerning ownership, legal conclusions, and the relevance of the alleged interlocking corporate positions. (PNA)