Davao City accountant testifying for VP Duterte was partner in firm that audited Duterte-linked firms

Davao City's incumbent accountant, called as a defense witness in Vice President Sara Duterte's Senate impeachment trial, confirmed Tuesday that she had been a partner in an accounting firm that later audited three companies linked to the Duterte family, according to the Daily Tribune.

Vingelin Bajan said she joined Ampil, Elis, Shudadano and Co. when it was registered in 2003, putting in P1,000 as capital. The firm went on to serve as external auditor of GenCorp Industries Inc., Metro City Chow Foods Corp. and Great Jolly Times Food Corp., businesses whose ties to the Duterte family have come under scrutiny in the trial's examination of the vice president's wealth and financial interests.

Documents presented during cross-examination showed Bajan remained a partner until 2015, overlapping with her job-order engagement with the Davao City government from 2001 to 2004. Bajan maintained that being a job-order worker did not create an employer-employee relationship with the city. She said she left the firm when its articles of partnership were amended in 2015 to remove her name, and denied recommending the firm for its audits of the Duterte-linked companies.

When senator-judge Bam Aquino asked whether she had received a salary or other pay from the firm, Bajan replied, "Hindi ko talaga ma-remember, Your Honor." She later acknowledged receiving allowances from the partnership. She also initially had trouble recalling the partnership records and identifying her signature, but eventually confirmed both the signature and the taxpayer identification number on the documents were hers.

Her responses prompted repeated interventions from the bench. Presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero questioned why an accountant could not readily recall her own business affiliation, telling her, "Please, my patience is wearing thin." Aquino said her manner of answering gave the impression she was withholding information. Bajan apologised, saying the records dated back more than a decade.

The defense had called Bajan to authenticate payroll documents, vouchers and other records on a P64,194.72 payment made to Duterte in 2023. The defense says the amount covered salary differentials and was not unauthorised double compensation during her term as vice president.

Bajan is the third defense witness under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which covers allegations of unexplained wealth, incomplete asset disclosures and constitutionally prohibited business interests. It is the only remaining charge after prosecutors withdrew the three other articles, on confidential funds, bribery and grave threats, in October.