Why did a food catering company linked to Vice President Sara Duterte keep winning all 19 contracts in Davao City?
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian repeatedly raised this question when Davao City Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte testified as a hostile witness in his sister’s impeachment trial on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
‘Didn’t you ask Attorney Domingo why GenCorp had so many contracts with the LGU, one after another, from 2022 through 2026?’ Gatchalian asked, referring to Assistant City Administrator Tristan Domingo.
Mayor Duterte earlier told the impeachment court that, as head of the procuring entity, he authorized Domingo to sign the contracts on his behalf.
In response to Gatchalian’s question, the mayor said he did not consider the number of contracts high, given that they were awarded over five years.
‘But didn’t you ask why it kept winning despite the number of caterers in the area?’ Gatchalian asked.
The mayor explained that when he discussed and clarified this with Domingo, he was told that GenCorp was not only the ‘most qualified,’ but also complied with all the requirements imposed by the city government.
‘Because normally, in an LGU like ours in Valenzuela, there are many caterers. When we open a bidding, a lot of them actually participate. So I want to know: did you ask him why GenCorp kept winning?’ the Senate chief went on.
‘I have already given you the answer,’ Mayor Duterte said.
The mayor was called to the witness stand in relation to allegations that the vice president had amassed unexplained wealth, failed to disclose all her assets in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, and failed to divest herself of all her business interests.
Vice President Duterte listed GenCorp in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth from 2024 to 2025.
Gatchalian pressed on, this time asking the mayor why GenCorp was always the lone bidder for Davao City contracts.
‘Not all the time,’ the mayor answered, saying that the firm was the sole bidder for only about four contracts.
Mayor Duterte, however, admitted that he did not personally check who participated in the bidding for other contracts.
‘I didn’t look into it anymore,’ he said, still responding to Gatchalian’s queries.