Baste Duterte Subpoenaed by Impeachment Court

The Senate impeachment court on Wednesday issued a subpoena to Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, directing him to appear at the impeachment trial of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, on September 23. Duterte is among the individuals summoned to testify as the impeachment court deliberates on Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which pertains to the alleged unexplained wealth of the vice president. Gerardo del Rosario, director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) company registration and monitoring department, was also subpoenaed. House prosecution panel spokesperson Benjamin Tolosa Jr. stated that they expect Mayor Duterte, in his capacity as mayor of Davao, to shed light on any dealings Gencorp Industries, Inc., a firm linked to his sister, may have had with the city government. "What we want to know here, in his capacity as mayor of Davao, is whether this company had any dealings with the city government of Davao. As for the details? Let's see when he is called to the stand," Tolosa said. Regarding the possibility of Mayor Duterte being declared a hostile witness, Tolosa explained that it would depend on the court's assessment. "That depends on whether the court will qualify him as an expert witness, just like all the other witnesses we presented. The test for that will be the same: if it is shown that his interest is adverse to that of the prosecution, since we are the party calling him as a witness, then the court will qualify him as a hostile witness." The issuance of the subpoena marks a significant development in the impeachment proceedings against the Vice President, as her brother's testimony is anticipated to provide crucial insights into the allegations surrounding her wealth.