The House prosecution questioned Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s claim that he was unaware of his sister Vice President Sara Duterte’s business interests in GenCorp Industries Inc.
House trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong said documents presented during the impeachment trial showed that businessman Jaime T. Cruz, whom Baste acknowledged knowing, was connected to GenCorp and had business ties with the Duterte family.
“They can play around being ignorant of not knowing about the nature of these companies, the GenCorp. But what is very clear is that he is a known businessman in Davao,” Adiong said.
Adiong also pointed to GenCorp’s contracts with the Davao City government, questioning whether Baste could have remained unaware of the company’s connections despite the documents he signed as mayor.
“So again, maniniwala ba tayo na wala siyang alam dahil ang dami niyang pinipirmahan na dokumento? No, we were not born yesterday,” Adiong said.
The prosecution maintained that Sara Duterte’s declaration of GenCorp as a business interest in her 2024 and 2025 SALNs remained central to its allegations concerning her business interests and alleged failure to divest.
