By Staff Reporter
MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is among the key witnesses expected to appear when the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte resumes next week, as prosecutors examine alleged business interests and government contracts linked to her.
Baste Duterte has been subpoenaed to testify before the Senate impeachment court from September 28 to 30. His testimony is expected to focus on transactions between Davao City Hall and GenCorp Industries Inc., a company Vice President Duterte identified as one of her business interests in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
House prosecution adviser Robert Ace Barbers said the Davao mayor is among several witnesses being presented as prosecutors build their case under Article II of the impeachment proceedings, which includes allegations concerning unexplained wealth and business interests.
“We are gradually putting the puzzle together to complete the picture,” Barbers said, according to The Manila Times.
The prosecution is expected to question Baste about transactions between GenCorp and the Davao City government during his tenure as mayor.
According to testimony presented during the trial, GenCorp secured government contracts worth millions of pesos, including transactions with the Davao City government. Prosecutors have raised questions over whether Vice President Duterte maintained business interests while serving as vice president.
Baste, however, has said that he and other Davao City officials were unaware of any interest held by his sister in GenCorp. He also said neither Sara Duterte’s name nor the Duterte surname appeared in the company’s official documents submitted for its transactions with the city government.
The mayor further said GenCorp underwent the required evaluation processes for its transactions with the city and that the contracts were processed through the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System.
The prosecution’s witness list also includes officials connected to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s Davao regional office and the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office.
The trial will resume on Monday, September 28, with the continuation of the direct examination of Rendell Sopeña, a division chief at the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System, who has testified about procurement records involving GenCorp and Davao City Hall.
Baste’s appearance is expected to put the Davao City transactions and GenCorp’s links to the vice president’s declared business interests under further scrutiny as the impeachment court continues hearing the case.
