Mayor Baste Duterte declared hostile witness in VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial

The Senate impeachment court has declared Davao City Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte a hostile witness in the impeachment trial of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte. Senate President Francis Escudero ruled that the Mayor has an adverse interest in the proceedings, allowing prosecution counsel Theodore Te to utilize leading questions during questioning.

The trial is currently examining allegations of unexplained wealth and the Vice President’s failure to divest from business interests. A key focus involves GenCorp Industries Inc., a company identified in the Vice President’s 2024 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN). Records presented during the trial indicate that the Davao City government entered into contracts with GenCorp totaling more than ₱33 million.

Mayor Duterte testified that his appearance was due to a court subpoena rather than a voluntary decision. He also addressed previous statements regarding the trial, suggesting it was an attempt to prevent his sister from running in the 2028 elections, though he clarified this was his personal view.