Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte testifies in the Senate impeachment court on the vice president’s case, facing questions about 19 city government contracts worth P33.2 million awarded to GenCorp Industries Inc. Prosecutors tie the inquiry to GenCorp being declared by Vice President Sara Duterte in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), which the court uses in assessing potential conflict of interest.
Multiple reports say Duterte is treated as a hostile witness during his testimony. Prosecutor Theodore Te questions how Duterte assessed and processed GenCorp’s bids, including reference to the mayor’s September 21 public statement describing the company’s bid evaluation. Duterte responds that if he had known Sara was involved with GenCorp, he would not have entered into or supported the transactions.
Outlets also note procedural exchanges during the hearing: defense counsel complains that prosecution questions are repetitive, and presiding officer Senator-judge Francis Escudero intervenes by addressing the concerns and directing the flow of questioning. The reports agree on the central issues—GenCorp, the city contracts, Duterte’s claimed lack of knowledge, and the link to Sara Duterte’s SALN—while differing mainly in emphasis on specific exchanges and courtroom dynamics.
