VICE President Sara Duterte vehemently denied on Saturday, October 17, 2026, owning a Jollibee franchise or any other franchises.
In a statement, Duterte maintained that she invests in a company that is part of a legitimate business organization owned and operated by individuals with an established reputation for integrity and good standing.
The Vice President issued the statement following an article published by online news website Rappler.
“A basic level of research and due diligence should make this clear. Rappler should understand that investing in a company does not automatically equate to owning the company itself, much less owning, managing or operating its individual businesses or franchises,” Duterte said.
“Accurate reporting requires factual verification, a proper understanding of business ownership, and adherence to the basic principles of responsible journalism,” she added.
Duterte slammed Rappler for what she described as “troubling” attacks on her reputation.
“More concerning is the apparent targeting of legitimate businesses, which inevitably causes unwarranted reputational and commercial damage,” she said.
Duterte declared a business interest in GenCorp, a Davao-based company that reportedly owned five Jollibee restaurants in the city, in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
During his testimony at Duterte’s impeachment trial, financial analyst and lawyer Alex Cabrera said Duterte and her husband, Attorney Manases Carpio, had undeclared wealth that could reach a maximum of P1.5 billion from 2022 to 2025. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)