The Senate impeachment court continues its proceedings on Tuesday, September 29, with Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte set to appear as a witness as the prosecution presents evidence and cross-examines witnesses over Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth and business interests.
Baste appears before the court following a subpoena covering September 28 to 30. He previously requested additional time to prepare for his testimony.
The prosecution is expected to question him about GenCorp Industries, Inc., a company linked to the vice president's declared business interests. Baste has previously denied being aware of his sister’s alleged connection to the company.
The trial is currently tackling Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of having unexplained assets, incomplete disclosures in her and her husband’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), and continued business interests.
Impeachment trial begins
The 31st day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial began with Eighteen senators serving as senator-judges attended the proceedings. Senator Robin Padilla led the opening prayer before the trial was called to order.
Baste Duterte takes his oath
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte took the witness stand before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday.
Baste took his oath before beginning his testimony before the senator-judges.
Prosecution offers Baste Duterte as hostile witness
House private prosecutor Theodore “Ted” Te presented the prosecution’s offer of testimony as Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte took the witness stand.
Te asked the Senate impeachment court to treat Baste as a hostile witness, subject to the necessary foundation to be laid by the prosecution.
“First, that he is a hostile witness, as defined and subject to the necessary foundation to be laid by the prosecution,” Te said.
Baste Duterte declared a hostile witness
Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero declared Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte a hostile witness during the continuation of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
The designation allowed the prosecution to ask him leading questions after satisfying the requirements of the Senate impeachment court.
Baste was subpoenaed to testify about multi-million-peso contracts awarded by the Davao City government to GenCorp Industries Inc., a company listed by Vice President Sara Duterte in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.
Baste Duterte says he would know of irregularities in contracts
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said he would be aware if there were irregularities in contracts covered by his authority as head of the procuring entity of Davao City.
He made the statement in response to a question from House private prosecutor Atty. Theodore Te regarding contracts linked to GenCorp Industries Inc.
The contracts were signed by his representative under delegated authority.
Baste says he only learned of GenCorp through impeachment trial
House private prosecutor Theodore “Ted” Te asked hostile witness Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte about his familiarity with GenCorp Industries Inc.
Baste confirmed that he had referred to the company in his September 21 statement but said he only became familiar with GenCorp after it was raised during the Senate impeachment proceedings.
“When it has been raised in this court, but before that, no,” Baste said, clarifying that his knowledge of the corporation was limited to its mention in the trial.
Baste says GenCorp was presumed to have complied with city requirements
Following his admission that his knowledge of GenCorp Industries Inc. was limited to its mention in the impeachment trial, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte was asked by House private prosecutor Theodore “Ted” Te about the company’s compliance with Davao City’s requirements.
Baste said he did not know whether GenCorp had met a requirement that it had been in existence for at least five years, adding that the city could check its records.
“It is presumed that GenCorp has complied,” Baste said.
Defense objects to Baste Duterte testimony
Defense counsel Atty. Justin Nicol Gular raised a general objection to Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s testimony, arguing that it was irrelevant because a previous witness had already established that procurement transactions between the Davao City local government and GenCorp Industries Inc. took place after Vice President Sara Duterte’s tenure as city mayor.
Gular also said the other matters presented by the prosecution remained subject to cross-examination.
When asked if the defense was willing to stipulate to Baste’s testimony, Gular declined, saying, “No stipulation, subject to cross.
Baste Duterte says he remains accountable for contracts signed on his behalf
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte confirmed that he was aware of contracts signed on his behalf by Atty. Paul Domingo during his testimony in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday.
Asked by private prosecutor Atty. Theodore “Ted” Te if he was personally aware of all contracts signed by Domingo, Baste replied, “Not all,” but said he would know if a contract reached his table or involved an irregularity.
Duterte also confirmed that Domingo still had signing authority as of Tuesday, while stressing that he remained the final accountable officer.
Escudero rules Sara Duterte cannot be compelled to answer request for admission
Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero ruled that Vice President Sara Duterte cannot be required to respond to the prosecution’s request for admission.
Escudero said the prosecution could not shift its burden of proof to Duterte by compelling her to answer the request under the threat of having the matters deemed admitted.
“The prosecution cannot shift its burden of proof to respondent through the simple expedience of a request for admission,” Escudero said.
Impeachment trial takes early lunch recess
The Senate impeachment court briefly suspended the 31st day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial for an early lunch break on Tuesday, September 29.
The proceedings were scheduled to resume at 12:15 p.m. after the court addressed the request for admission and related matters.
Baste says he did not personally examine GenCorp records
Following his earlier statement that GenCorp was presumed to have complied with Davao City’s requirements, Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said he did not personally examine the company’s corporate records because there was no irregularity.
When asked by House private prosecutor Theodore “Ted” Te if he had personally looked into GenCorp’s corporate documents, Baste replied, “Because there was no irregularity.”
He added that he could not personally examine all documents submitted for procurement.
Baste confirms GenCorp was sole bidder for city catering contract
Following his testimony on GenCorp’s procurement documents, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte confirmed that the company was the sole bidder for a food and catering services contract with the city government.
House private prosecutor Theodore “Ted” Te asked whether the term “single calculated responsive bidder” meant that GenCorp had no competing bidder.
“I think that was what it suggested,” Baste replied, before affirming that GenCorp was the only bidder.
Escudero reminds prosecution that Baste is not on trial
During the 31st day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero reminded House private prosecutor Theodore “Ted” Te that hostile witness Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte was not the respondent in the proceedings.
Escudero urged Te to connect his questions to the article of impeachment concerning alleged conflict of interest and unexplained or ill-gotten wealth.
“The witness is not the one on trial here,” Escudero said, asking the prosecutor to move on to the issues relevant to the case.
Baste tells Ted Te “it’s okay” during GenCorp questioning
House private prosecutor Theodore “Ted” Te asked Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte for patience as he continued his direct examination on GenCorp.
“Pasensya na, konti na lang,” Te told Baste as he continued his line of questioning. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Baste replied.
Baste confirms knowing Jaime T. Cruz
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte confirmed that he knows Jaime T. Cruz, whose name repeatedly appeared in documents presented during the impeachment trial.
House private prosecutor Theodore “Ted” Te asked Baste directly whether he knew Cruz, to which the mayor replied, “Yes, sir.”
Baste also confirmed Te’s statement that he knew Cruz because they were business associates.
15 of 19 Baste documents match PhilGEPS records, prosecution says
House private prosecutor Atty. Theodore “Ted” Te said 15 of the 19 documents presented by Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte matched documents previously presented during the testimony of PhilGEPS Division Chief Rendell Sopeña.
Defense counsel Atty. Justin Nicol Gular clarified that the more accurate description was that there had been no testimony regarding four transactions.
Gular stressed that this did not mean the corresponding documents were not seen or presented in the PhilGEPS records.
Baste confirms ₱10.8-million contract budget came from public funds
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte confirmed that public funds were the source of the ₱10.8-million Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for a food and catering services contract.
He made the confirmation in response to a question from House private prosecutor Atty. Theodore “Ted” Te.
The ABC serves as the city government’s budget ceiling for the contract.
Escudero clarifies amendments to government procurement law
Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero clarified that Republic Act No. 9184, the previous legal framework for government procurement, had been amended by Republic Act No. 12009.
Escudero said the amended law recognizes not only the lowest calculated responsive bid but also the Most Economically Advantageous Responsive Bid (MEARB).
It also includes the Most Advantageous Responsive Bid (MARB) as a basis in government procurement.
Baste says he would not allow contract if Sara were GenCorp shareholder
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said he would not allow a company to be awarded a contract in Davao City if he knew that Vice President Sara Duterte was a stockholder or shareholder of the firm.
He made the statement in response to Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero’s question on whether he would still allow GenCorp Industries Inc. to receive a city contract if he knew Sara was one of its shareholders.
“I would not allow it,” Baste said.
Baste says Davao City had no role in PhilHealth contracts
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte clarified that PhilHealth and the Davao City government are separate institutions.
He said the local government had no participation in the 33 contracts awarded to PhilHealth Region 11.
“They’re a separate institution,” Duterte said when asked about the city government’s involvement in the contracts.
Baste says Sara’s financial disclosures are not his responsibility
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said it was not his responsibility to know the assets, liabilities, business interests, investments, and other financial disclosures declared by his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, in her SALN.
Responding to defense counsel Atty. Justin Nicol Gular, Baste said they did not discuss such matters despite being siblings.
“We simply do not discuss this. I did not ask. It’s her privacy,” he said.
Baste explains why GenCorp repeatedly won Davao City contracts
Senate President Win Gatchalian asked Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte why GenCorp Industries Inc. repeatedly won procurement contracts from the Davao City government from 2022 to 2026.
Baste said he had previously raised the same question with Atty. Tristan Domingo. According to Domingo, GenCorp won because it was qualified and complied with all procurement requirements.
Hontiveros asks Baste about Jaime Cruz’s ties to Duterte family
Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros questioned Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte about businessman Jaime T. Cruz’s relationship with the Duterte family.
Hontiveros cited Cruz’s reported stake in GenCorp and his alleged business ties with Vice President Sara Duterte, while Baste said Cruz was a friend of his father and a businessman in Davao but that he had no personal knowledge of Cruz and Sara being business partners.
Hontiveros said it was puzzling that a company in which the Vice President had an interest, as reflected in her SALN, became a Davao City government contractor while Baste said he was unaware of the business connections she raised.
Tulfo tells Baste to call chief of staff over GenCorp contracts
Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo suggested that Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte call in and investigate his chief of staff over the contracts awarded by the city government to GenCorp Industries Inc.
Tulfo said they should determine how the contracts were processed if Baste was unaware of GenCorp’s alleged connection to his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.
“That would be appropriate,” Baste replied.
Senate impeachment court defers Trillanes subpoena
The Senate impeachment court will not issue a subpoena yet for former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV, Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero said.
Escudero said it would be better for the prosecution to first present a witness from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and if possible, bank officials or records related to Trillanes’ testimony.
He added that the prosecution may still call Trillanes as a voluntary witness, while the court may revisit the subpoena issue later.
Prosecution lists witnesses for September 30 to October 2
Atty. Kathy Baldonado and Atty. Marco Pineda are scheduled to testify for the prosecution during the impeachment trial on Wednesday, September 30.
Atty. Ronel Buenaventura of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is expected to appear during the hearings on October 1 and 2.
Meanwhile, the prosecution has also listed former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV as an additional witness.
Impeachment trial day 30 adjourns
The 30th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial has adjourned following the day’s proceedings.
The Senate impeachment court will resume the trial with the next set of witnesses and evidence.
