MANILA — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte told the Senate impeachment court that he signs between 50 and 300 documents a day and generally relies on city officials to review them before they reach his desk.
During questioning by Sen. Erwin Tulfo in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the mayor said the documents include payrolls, contracts and ordinances.
Asked whether he was able to read every document in full, Duterte explained that documents reaching him had already been countersigned and checked by the city administrator.
“May counter-signed po na dumaan na sa City Administrator, na na-check na, so pinipirmahan ko,” Duterte said.
Tulfo asked whether this meant the mayor followed the standard procedure of relying on the signatures and prior review of responsible city officials before signing. Duterte answered, “Yes, Your Honor.”
The exchange came as senators questioned Duterte about Davao City’s contracts with GenCorp Industries Inc., a company listed by Vice President Duterte as a business interest in her 2024 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. Duterte has maintained that he did not know about his sister’s declared interest in the company when the city awarded contracts to GenCorp.
Tulfo suggested that Duterte look into how the contracts were processed and determine whether city officials should be investigated if there had been any violation.
Duterte initially agreed that an investigation would be appropriate if there was a breach of law or another problem. When Tulfo asked whether he believed a violation had occurred, however, the mayor said he did not know and that it was for the court to decide.
Pressed on whether he would independently ask city officials to examine what happened, Duterte said he could not commit to doing so.
“Well, as long as my sister’s name, the Vice President’s name was not on the contract, then there’s nothing,” Duterte told the court. The same response was reported in accounts of his testimony.
Duterte earlier testified that Davao City awarded GenCorp 19 contracts worth about P33.26 million. He maintained that the transactions were above board and said he would not have allowed the contracts had he known beforehand of his sister’s declared connection to the company.
The Vice President’s declaration of GenCorp as a business interest has been scrutinized during the impeachment proceedings. SEC records previously presented in court, however, did not list her as an incorporator, director or stockholder of the company. t
