Baste Duterte ‘unaware’ sister Sara holds interest in GenCorp Industries

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said he is unaware that her sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, holds interest in GenCorp Industries Inc.

He also remarked that contracts between the corporation and the City of Davao are all “above board.”

According to the mayor, while reports say that Davao has transactions with GenCorp amounting to P14.3 million, there are actually transactions worth P33.2 million, equivalent to a total of 19 contracts.

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Of the 19, 13 were already finished while six were still ongoing, the mayor said.

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“I, and all other officials and employees of the City Government of Davao, never had any knowledge of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte holding an interest in GENCORP INDUSTRIES INC,” Mayor Duterte said in a statement on Monday.

“Furthermore, neither the name Sara Zimmerman Duterte nor the surname “Duterte” appears in any of the official documents, such as, among others, the Articles of Incorporation, submitted by GENCORP INDUSTRIES INC. across the 19 contracts and transactions in question,” he mentioned.

The local government official issued the statement as the prosecution team intended to call him as its witness to the vice president’s impeachment trial as it continues the Article II presentation next week.

Article II accuses the vice president of amassing unexplained wealth; failing to “fully and truthfully” declare her and her husband’s assets, liabilities, and net worth on her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALNs); and failing to divest her business interests during her tenure as vice president.

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The vice president’s name does not appear as an incorporator or stockholder of Gencorp in its Articles of Incorporation and General Information Sheets submitted to the commission from 2020 to 2025.

This is based on the records of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and as testified by SEC Company Registration and Monitoring Department Director Gerardo del Rosario on Monday.

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However, in her SALNs from 2016 to 2025, which were also previously presented in the impeachment trial, Duterte declared that she was an incorporator or stockholder of Gencorp Industries Inc.

Meanwhile, Mayor Duterte maintained that the engagements of his office with GenCorp were legal, saying that “any claim otherwise shall be duly supported with verified evidence and reliable documents.”

In the same statement, he said, “In every instance, GENCORP INDUSTRIES INC. was rigorously evaluated and determined to have submitted the lowest calculated responsive bid or offer.”

“Most importantly, in compliance with government procurement laws and administrative issuances, all 19 transactions have been duly processed, reported, and published on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) portal.”

“Any interested party seeking to verify the city’s transactions with GENCORP INDUSTRIES INC., or any other entity, is invited to review the official PhilGEPS website or coordinate with their office for authorized record access,” he added.

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This Tuesday, PhilGeps’ E-Government Procurement Operations Division Chief Rendell Sopeña was also called to appear in court as the prosecution’s witness. /apl