Davao Mayor requests postponement of testimony in sister's impeachment trial

During the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte petitioned the Senate impeachment court to postpone his testimony, citing the need to gather, organize, authenticate and reproduce the documents demanded by the court. Presiding senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero accepted the request, allowing the mayor to appear on either September 29 or September 30 instead of the originally scheduled days.

The mayor had been subpoenaed to produce certified copies of all contracts entered into by Davao City Hall with Gencorp Industries Inc. and any entity operating a Jollibee outlet from 2020 onward. Gencorp has been linked to Vice President Sara Duterte through her declared stockholdings in recent SALNs, though SEC records do not list her as an incorporator or shareholder. Reports indicate Gencorp secured contracts worth millions with the city and PhilHealth, raising concerns over possible conflicts of interest.

Mayor Duterte maintains that the contracts complied with procurement law and that neither his sister’s name nor the Duterte surname appears in the official documents. The court’s rescheduling follows a prior directive for the mayor to testify on September 23, which was withdrawn to accommodate oral arguments on the required voting threshold.