Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, the Vice President’s younger brother, testified before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday, September 29. Photo by Joseph B. Vidal / Senate Social Media Unit.
Manuel Mogato | September 29, 2026
MANILA — A younger brother of Vice President Sara Duterte, also the sitting mayor of Davao City, told the impeachment court on Tuesday that he was absolutely unaware that the city awarded his sister’s company 19 contracts worth 34 million pesos.
Sebastian Duterte said no one had informed him that his elder sister, Sara, has shares in GenCorp Industries Inc., which regularly wins contracts to supply food to the city government.
“I would not allow it,” Duterte told prosecutor Theodore Te when asked if he knew that his sister has interests in GenCorp Industries Inc. (Also read: Davao City-based agencies award 49 contracts to Vice President’s restaurant while she’s in office)
The vice president has listed GenCorp Industries Inc. as part of her business interests in her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) for the years 2024 and 2025.
However, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has no records showing the vice president’s beneficial interest in the restaurant business. (Also read: Vice President’s companies did not declare dividends, casting doubts on Duterte’s exponential growth in wealth)
GenCorp Industries Inc. holds a franchise of a popular fast-food chain and is owned by businessman Jaime T. Cruz, based on SEC documents. Cruz is a long-time friend of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Congresswoman Renee Co, however, cast doubts on Duterte’s testimony, saying it is difficult to believe that no one told him about his sister’s company.
The Davao City mayor said the owner of GenCorp Industries has business dealings with his family. He also has business relations with the owner of GenCorp Industries in other companies.
Yet he denies knowledge that City Hall awarded GenCorp Industries 19 contracts. Most of the contracts did not pass through a rigorous bidding process.
The contracts also did not bear Duterte’s signature because he delegated it to the assistant administrator.
On cross-examination, Duterte told defense lawyers he did not interfere in the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) decision, saying he was unaware of GenCorp Industries transactions from 2022 to 2026.
Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo said City Hall may have violated its bidding rules to exclude companies with less than five years in operation. GenCorp Industries was formed in 2020, and yet it won contracts.
Duterte said he did not know if the BAC modified the rules. He insisted he had no part in the bidding process.