MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte testified Tuesday that he would have barred GenCorp Industries Inc. from securing city government contracts had he known that his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, had declared an ownership interest in the company.
Baste made the statement when Senate Presiding Officer Francis Escudero asked whether he would have allowed GenCorp to receive a city contract if he knew Sara was a stockholder.
“If she were a GenCorp stockholder and you knew about it, would you not allow the company to be awarded a contract in Davao?” Escudero asked.
“I would not allow it,” Mayor Duterte replied.
Baste told Escudero that he had neither seen nor been familiar with his sister’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) and was unaware that she had declared an interest in GenCorp.
Earlier, during questioning by House private prosecutor Theodore Te, Duterte said he only learned about GenCorp after the company was raised during the impeachment proceedings.
“When it has been raised in this court, but before that, no,” the mayor said when asked whether he was familiar with the company.
He confirmed that his knowledge of GenCorp was limited to what had been discussed during the trial.
Baste also said he was unaware that Sara had declared GenCorp as a business interest in her 2024 and 2025 SALNs.
The testimony came amid scrutiny of GenCorp’s transactions with the Davao City government during Baste’s tenure as mayor.
Documents presented during the proceedings showed that GenCorp had 19 transactions with the city.
Meanwhile, Baste denied that his sister had intervened or sought special treatment for GenCorp in its dealings with the city government.
Defense lawyer Justin Gular asked whether Sara had ever requested a favor, accommodation or special treatment for GenCorp.
Mayor Duterte repeatedly answered, “No.”
