Who is Jaime T. Cruz, Sara Duterte’s business partner? - Rappler
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BUSINESS TIES. Vice President Sara Duterte (left) and businessman Jaime Tan Cruz (right)
The business ties between Vice President Sara Duterte and businessman Jaime T. Cruz came under scrutiny during the Senate impeachment trial on Monday, September 21.
Cruz’s name appears in the corporate records of several companies linked to Duterte.
The 2025 general information sheet of Metro City Chow Foods Corporation, as presented in the court, identifies Cruz as the company’s president and biggest shareholder.
Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) show that she has declared herself an “incorporator/stockholder” of Metro City Chow Foods Corporation since 2007. The company was previously named City Hall King Chow Foods Corporation, according to Duterte’s SALNs.
Another company, Davao New Royal Taipan Corporation, formerly known as Davao Emerging Taipans Corporation, also appears in Duterte’s 2022 and 2023 SALNs. She declared herself an “incorporator/stockholder” of the company since 2004.
Karen Batu, officer in charge of the Records Division of the Office of the Ombudsman, also testified that Duterte declared Davao Bounty Times Foods Corporation as a business interest in her 2010, 2011, and 2012 SALNs.
Cruz is also an incorporator and president of JTC Group of Companies Philippines Inc. The company’s name corresponds to Cruz’s initials.
JTC is the biggest shareholder of Gencorp Industries Inc., another company declared by Duterte in her SALNs.
Gencorp’s corporate records, however, do not list Duterte as a corporate officer or shareholder.
A Rappler investigative report found that Gencorp secured millions of pesos worth of contracts from Davao City Hall while Duterte is sitting as vice president and her brother, Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, is the city mayor.
Article VII of the 1987 Constitution prohibits the vice president from participating “in any business, or be financially interested in any contract with, or in any franchise, or special privilege granted by the government or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality.”
SEC records reviewed by Rappler also showed that Gencorp and JTC had the same shareholders. In an interview with Rappler, House prosecutor Terry Ridon said they may seek testimony from Gencorp executives and Jaime T. Cruz of the JTC Group.
Cruz’s ties to the Duterte family also extend to former president Rodrigo Duterte.
In 2019, then-president Duterte appointed Cruz as special envoy to the People’s Republic of China for trade and investments, according to a report by Malaya Business Insight.
Months before that appointment, Duterte had offered Cruz top positions at PhilHealth, including president and CEO. It is unclear whether Cruz accepted the offer. Months later, Duterte appointed Ricardo C. Morales to lead the state health insurer.
Cruz also joined the business delegation that accompanied Duterte during his working visit to Japan. Gencorp president Kimberly Cruz was part of the delegation as well.
During the trip, Jaime Cruz and Kimberly Cruz secured a deal to operate Dohtonbori and Karayama restaurants in the Philippines. – Rappler.com
