Gencorp Industries Inc., a firm linked to Vice President Sara Duterte, won P35.878 million worth of government contracts from July 2022 to June 2026, and P34.2 million came from the Davao City government, according to an official of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), the web portal for public procurements.
The contracts were awarded while Duterte was Vice President.
Davao City is the Duterte family’s political stronghold. Before becoming Vice President, Duterte served as mayor of Davao City, which is now headed by her brother, Sebastian.
Testifying in Duterte’s impeachment trial, PhilGEPS Division Chief Rendell Sopeña said Gencorp won 49 contracts worth P35.878 million from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Region 11, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Region 11, and Davao City government from July 2022 to June 2026.
Sopeña said more than 95 percent of the amount was awarded by the Davao City government. Gencorp won 15 contracts from the city worth P34.216 million.
Only one contract came from OWWA for P330,000, while PhilHealth Region 11 awarded 33 contracts to GenCorp for P1.33 million.
Gencorp, based on documents, is linked to a Jollibee Davao franchise and won food and catering contracts.
Duterte had listed Gencorp (formerly Timesquare Bee Foods and Great Jolly Times Food) as among her business interests in her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth, starting in 2016 when it was named Timesquare Bee Foods.
She declared herself a stockholder as per her SALNs, but a Securities and Exchange Commission official said her name did not appear in the corporation’s records with the commission.
Lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro asked the Impeachment Court to take mandatory judicial notice of Duterte’s 2024 and 2025 SALNs where she listed Gencorp among her business interests, identifying herself as a stockholder.
Luistro also asked the court to take judicial notice of Article 7, Section 13 of the Constitution, which states that the President, Vice-President, the Members of the Cabinet, and their deputies or assistants shall not, during their tenure, directly or indirectly, practice any other profession, participate in any business, or be financially interested in any contract with, or in any franchise, or special privilege granted by the Government or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries.
She likewise sought judicial notice of Section 66 of the New Government Procurement Act, which states that the head of the procuring entity or the duly authorized representatives may approve or disapprove the recommendation of the Bids and Awards Committee, and of Section 5, which states that the head of the procuring entity of a local government unit is the local chief executive.
She further asked the court to take judicial notice of the fact that the Davao City mayor is Sebastian Duterte.
Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero granted Luistro’s motion on the SALNs and the laws she cited, but clarified that it was taking judicial notice of the wording of the law, but not its interpretation, meaning, or application as espoused by one party.
Escudero also said the court is taking judicial notice of the SEC official’s testimony that Duterte’s name does not appear in the SEC records of Gencorp.
With regard to Sebastian Duterte, Escudero said the relationship to the Vice President would be established in due course when he is presented as a witness.
The Vice President’s business interests are being scrutinized in her impeachment trial in relation to allegations that she amassed unexplained wealth.