Baste Duterte expected to testify on Day 31 of VP impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is expected to take the witness stand on Tuesday, the 31st day of the impeachment trial of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.

The mayor’s supposed appearance on Monday was moved to Tuesday and Wednesday after the impeachment court granted his request for more time to gather, organize, authenticate, and reproduce documents covered by a subpoena.

The subpoena requires Baste Duterte to testify and produce Davao City government records involving transactions with GenCorp Industries Inc., which the prosecution team alleges is linked to the vice president.

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The impeachment court granted the request, with presiding officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero saying there was no need to issue another subpoena because the original order already covered Sept. 29 and 30.

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READ: Impeachment court grants Baste Duterte request to appear on Sept. 29, 30

Baste Duterte’s testimony is expected to focus on Davao City government transactions involving GenCorp, a company that the Vice President declared as a business interest in her 2024 and 2025 statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).

In the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s records, however, the Vice President’s name did not appear in any of the General Information Sheet and Articles of Incorporation submitted by GenCorp.

During Monday’s proceedings, PhilGEPS Division Chief Rendell Sopeña testified about government contracts awarded to GenCorp, including transactions involving the Davao City government.

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Sopeña said that 15 contracts were awarded by the Davao City government to the company, forming part of 49 food service deals awarded to GenCorp by government offices in the Davao Region.

15 contracts

Of the 15 contracts awarded by the city, 11 did not undergo public bidding and were done through “negotiated small-value procurement.”

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READ: ‘4 of 15 Davao City deals with VP-linked firm went through bidding’

The prosecution has been presenting the transactions as part of its evidence under Article II, which deals with allegations of unexplained wealth and the vice president’s failure to divest from business and financial interests while serving in public office.

In a statement last week, Mayor Baste Duterte confirmed that the Davao City local government unit had 19 transactions in total with GenCorp, amounting to roughly P33.26 million.

He denied, however, that he or any other Davao City government officials and employees knew that the Vice President held an interest in GenCorp.

He also said neither “Sara Zimmerman Duterte” nor the surname “Duterte” appeared in GenCorp’s corporate documents submitted to the SEC in connection with the city’s transactions.

READ: Baste Duterte says ‘no knowledge’ of VP Sara’s ties to GenCorp

Tuesday or Wednesday

Impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol said Monday that Duterte had requested either Tuesday or Wednesday to complete the documents he was expected to bring.

“Ang hiningi niya po, dalawang araw, either tomorrow po or Wednesday. So, tingnan na lang po natin tomorrow if he will be able to already collate all the necessary documents na he will testify on,” Tongol said Monday in a briefing post-trial.

(He asked for two days, either tomorrow or Wednesday. So let’s wait tomorrow to see if he will be able to collate all the necessary documents that he will testify on.)

“Kung hindi pa po siya siguro ready tomorrow, baka makatanggap na naman po tayo ng another letter from him, from his office to extend for Wednesday. In fairness naman po, dalawang araw ’yung hiningi niya,” he added.

(If he is perhaps still not ready tomorrow, we may receive another letter from him, from his office, requesting an extension until Wednesday. In fairness, he did ask for two days,)

Tongol said Duterte was currently the only witness scheduled for Tuesday.

However, the House prosecution panel could present another witness who voluntarily appears before the court, subject to the defense’s right to object and prepare for its cross-examination, he said.

Aside from the Davao City mayor’s testimony, the impeachment court is also expected to take up pending matters, including the House prosecution panel’s request to convert its request for admissions into a request for stipulation of facts from the defense team.

READ: No reprimand from impeachment court for Ridon, only stern warning

Escudero may also formally announce the court’s ruling on the show-cause orders involving alleged violations of the court’s sub judice rule, which restricts parties to the proceedings from making public statements concerning the merits of the pending impeachment case.

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The court had earlier required House prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon and prosecution counsel Benjamin Tolosa to explain their statements before determining whether a violation was committed. /cb