Baste Duterte: VP Sara not one to ask favors for government contracts

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte affirmed on Tuesday that it is not in the character of Vice President Sara Duterte, his sister, to ask for favors in rewarding government contracts to corporations.

Baste Duterte testified during the cross examination of the vice president’s lawyer Justin Nicol Gular, who confronted him on whether or not Sara Duterte ever intervened with matters involving the Davao City.

“Being the brother of the vice president herself, and having known her for years, do you think that it is in her character as a person as a politician to request for any favor, accommodation and special treatment in relation to government contracts of a corporation?” Gular asked.

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“No,” the Davao City mayor said.

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Earlier, Gular also asked if Baste Duterte knew of the vice president’s business interests, after GenCorp Industries Inc., a corporation supposedly linked to Sara Duterte, had contracts with the local government of Davao.

READ: Baste Duterte says he only heard of GenCorp during impeach trial

But Baste Duterte said he had no information or personal knowledge of his sisters stockholdings, investments or beneficial ownerships.

When asked why, he answered: “We simply do not discuss this. I didn’t ask. It’s her privacy.”

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He further testified that there are no contracts signed by the Davao City government showing that Sara Duterte has a connection with GenCorp.

With this, Gular asked if “all contracts between the local government of Davao City and GenCorp Industries Inc., are above board and legal.”

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Baste Duterte answered in the affirmative.

He likewise denied that the vice president participated in or intervened in any procurement contracts, and the governance of the Davao City government.

There were also no special requests or favors from Sara Duterte to accommodate GenCorp, according to Baste Duterte.

Previously, Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System’s Rendell Sopeña testified that GenCorp was awarded 15 contracts amounting to P34 million by the Davao City government from 2022 to 2026.

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Although GenCorp does not list the vice president as an incorporator, Sara Duterte declared herself as a stockholder or incorporator of the company in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth. /das