Sara Duterte ‘honest enough’ to declare ‘untraceable investments’ in SALN: Panelo

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte was “honest enough” to declare in her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) an otherwise “untraceable investment,” her spokesperson said on Wednesday, after the second-in-command’s emoluments from a private company were discussed in her impeachment trial.

Gencorp general counsel Suzette Punay confirmed to the Senate impeachment court that the vice president received some P2.14 million pesos from 2022 to 2025 thanks to her earlier P48,000 investment in Davao Bounty Times, a company that has been absorbed into Gencorp.

“Kung tutuusin, untraceable itong investment na ito, and yet the vice president, who was then mayor, was honest enough to declare this in her SALN,” Duterte spokesperson Paolo Panelo told reporters.

“Nandoon po yung good faith niya to disclose na meron siyang investment dito,” he said.

Panelo asserted that the constitutional provision barring high-ranking officials from earning extra income apart from the salaries from their current public office does not include investments.

“Ang pinagbabawal po ng Constitution is to actively participate, manage a private corporation or a private business, and to be financially interested in any business na meron kang conflict of interest,” he said.

“Para sa akin, yung meron kang investment and you’re receiving passive investment income from these investments, hindi po yan violative of the Constitution,” he said.

Meanwhile, defense counsel and spokesperson Michael Poa told the impeachment chamber that their camp would be presenting other witnesses who would explain alleged discrepancies in the vice president’s SALN.