Who is Suzette Balucanag-Punay, in-house counsel of 2 firms linked to Sara Duterte?

The defense panel on Wednesday morning presented Atty. Suzette Balucanag-Punay as its fourth witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Punay is the in-house counsel for both Gencorp Industries, Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods Corporation—two of the entities linked to the vice president.

During her direct examination, Punay said she has been a lawyer for 15 years now and her office is located in Davao City.

She also said she has no personal nor professional knowledge regarding the Vice President.

In the offer of testimony, defense counsel Justin Gular said Punay is expected to prove that Gencorp Industries and Metro City Chow Foods Corporation "are duly organized and existing domestic corporations" under Philippine law, and that they are "legally engaged in the operation" of certain fast-food restaurant chains.

The witness is also expected to prove that Duterte is neither a stockholder, officer, or director of Gencorp Industries, Inc., that she has made no capital contribution to the corporation or to its Jollibee franchise operations, and that she has no ownership or equity interest in the corporation.

She is also expected to prove that although the vice president is a stockholder of record and is listed as a director and member of the Compensation Committee of Metro City Chow Foods Corporation, she has neither participated in nor exercised the functions, duties, and responsibilities pertaining to such positions.

Private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan thereafter questioned the authority of Punay to testify in the trial, asking if the witness has a board authorization from any or both companies she is representing.

"To us, this is very important because otherwise if she is not duly authorized by a board resolution from both companies, we will question her capacity to even appear before this honorable tribunal and more so to testify on behalf of both companies absent a duly authorized certificate," Kapunan said.

Impeachment court presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero later ruled to allow Punay to testify.

"My presumption is given that she is here appearing as in-house counsel of the two corporations, that she waives any privilege in regard to lawyer-client privilege as regards to the two corporations, not necessarily the individual stockholder," Escudero said. — VDV, GMA News