Jaime Cruz appears as incorporator in companies tied to Sara Duterte and Carpio

In a recent court proceeding, a prosecution panel disclosed that Jaime T. Cruz, who served as the special envoy to China for trade and investment under former President Rodrigo Duterte, is the same person appearing in the corporate registers of firms connected to Vice President Sara Duterte and her spouse Manases Carpio. Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo raised the issue while questioning witness lawyer Gerardo Del Rosario, director of the SEC’s Company Registration and Monitoring Department.

Del Rosario listed six companies—City Hall King Chow Foods Corporation, Metro City Chow Foods Corporation, Great Jolly Times Food Corporation, Davao New Royal Taipan Foods Corporation, Davao Emerging Taipan Corporation, and Davao Bounty Times Food Corporation—where Cruz is recorded as an incorporator or board member. He noted that Cruz holds 1,997 shares in Metro City Chow Foods, whereas Vice President Duterte holds 500 shares.

Private prosecutor Erwin Matib confirmed the identity match, stating “same name, same person.” The revelation ties the former envoy to the business network surrounding the vice president and Carpio.