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Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is also linked to the business partner of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, a Securities and Exchange Commission document presented by the prosecution in the impeachment trial showed. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News & Senate PRIB
MANILA — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is also linked to the business partner of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, a Securities and Exchange Commission document presented by the prosecution in the impeachment trial showed.
Baste on Tuesday appeared as a hostile witness as the Senate court tackles the second article of impeachment, which accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth, committing Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) violations, and failure to divest from business interests.
During last week’s trial, the prosecution presented documents showing that a Jaime T. Cruz was associated with Sara in several businesses, including GenCorp Industries Inc. that secured 19 contracts with Davao City.
Sara listed herself as a stockholder of GenCorp in her SALNs, although her name did not appear in the company’s documents.
During the direct examination on Tuesday, Baste confirmed he knows Cruz through business operations.
Prosecution counsel Theodore Te confronted Baste with the General Information Sheet of another company, Chinese Gen Bee Foods Corporation, which lists Cruz as the president and Baste and their brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, as shareholders.
Baste confirmed the information.
‘A FRIEND TO MY FATHER’
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte takes the witness stand as a hostile witness in the impeachment trial of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, at the Senate in Pasay City on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. His testimony follows revelations from PhilGEPS Division Chief Rendell Sopeña that the Davao City government awarded 15 contracts to Gencorp Industries Inc., a company listed in Vice President Sara Duterte’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
The prosecution earlier said Cruz was the same person the sibling’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, appointed as special envoy to China from 2019 to 2022 and offered the chairmanship of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
When asked if he was aware that Cruz served as special envoy, Baste said, “Probably, yes. I don’t know, but yeah.”
He added he “does not know” if he was offered to chair PhilHealth.
The Davao City mayor also said he was not aware that Cruz was the main stockholder of GenCorp.
Earlier in the trial, Baste said he does not regularly check the details of bidders for contracts in Davao as he had given his representative, Davao City Assistant City Administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo, the signing authority, unless they were found “irregular.”
Baste also said he never talked to anyone from GenCorp.
Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros asked Baste, “Paano niyo po ilalarawan yung relasyon ni Jaime T. Cruz sa pamilya ninyo?”
“Maybe not entirely the family, but he’s a friend to my father. He’s a known businessman in Davao,” Baste responded.
He also agreed that Cruz has a “close” relationship with the Dutertes.
Duterte cannot be compelled to admit bank records, Senate impeachment court rules
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