MANILA — Senate President and senator-judge Sherwin Gatchalian questioned Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte over why GenCorp Industries Inc. repeatedly secured contracts from the city government, asking whether the mayor had looked into the company’s repeated success in procurement.
During the 31st day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Tuesday, September 29, Gatchalian noted that GenCorp had obtained 19 Davao City government contracts from 2022 to 2026. He asked Duterte whether he had questioned Assistant City Administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo, who had authority to sign contracts on the mayor’s behalf, about the awards.
Duterte said he had discussed the matter with Domingo and was told that GenCorp won because it was the most qualified bidder and had complied with the requirements.
Gatchalian, citing his experience as a former Valenzuela City mayor, said local government procurement normally attracts several competing suppliers and pressed Duterte on whether he had specifically asked why GenCorp kept emerging as the winning bidder.
“I have already given you the answer,” Duterte replied.
Asked how often GenCorp was the lone bidder, Duterte said it was not always the only participant and estimated that the company had been the sole bidder four times. He also acknowledged that he had not personally reviewed the abstracts of quotations showing the competing suppliers, their offers and the basis for the awards.
Duterte maintained that the GenCorp contracts went through the city’s procurement process and were above board. He has also testified that he was unaware before the impeachment proceedings that his sister had declared GenCorp as a business interest in her 2024 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
The contracts have come under scrutiny in the impeachment proceedings as prosecutors examine the Vice President’s declared business interests and allegations concerning potential conflicts of interest. Duterte has denied that his sister intervened in the city’s procurement transactions or sought special treatment for GenCorp.
