No GenCorp denial on Sara Duterte's claim of ownership — witness

GenCorp. Industries Inc. has not issued an official statement disputing Vice President Sara Duterte's declaration that she is one of its stockholders, a defense witness told the Senate impeachment court on Wednesday.

Lawyer Suzette Balucanag-Punay, in-house counsel of GenCorp. Industries Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods Corp., made the statement during the 42nd day of Duterte's impeachment trial.

Asked by private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan whether GenCorp. had officially disputed Duterte's declaration in her 2024 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) that the company was one of her business interests, Punay replied, "No. No such statement [from GenCorp.]."

Kapunan's questioning came amid apparent discrepancies between Duterte's SALN disclosures and GenCorp.'s corporate records.

While Duterte declared GenCorp. and its former name, Timesquare Bee Foods Corp., as business interests in her 2022 to 2025 SALNs, Punay testified that the vice president's name did not appear among the company's stockholders during those years.

Punay said it was not her responsibility to inform GenCorp. about Duterte's SALN declarations identifying the company as one of her business interests, even after she assumed the vice presidency.

She said she was aware of Duterte's declarations but did not consider it her duty, as the company's legal counsel, to bring the matter to the corporation's attention.

"I believe that my function as counsel of GenCorp. [does not include] looking at other people's SALNs and adjusting our records just because somebody declared that he [or she] is a stockholder of our corporation," Punay said.

Kapunan pointed out that the person involved was not just an ordinary individual but the country's vice president.

"If anyone makes a misrepresentation, if a public officer makes a misrepresentation that he or she is a shareholder of GenCorp. ... as internal counsel, isn't it your duty to bring it to the attention of the company for which you are the sole lawyer?" Kapunan asked.

Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero, however, ruled that Punay had already answered the question when she said it was not her duty to examine "other people's SALNs."

The prosecution earlier presented Duterte's 2024 and 2025 SALNs, which she jointly filed with her husband, Manases Carpio. The documents listed GenCorp. Industries Inc., formerly known as Timesquare Bee Foods Corp. and Great Jolly Times Food, as one of her business interests.

Duterte also listed Timesquare Bee Foods Corp., GenCorp.'s former name, as one of her business interests in her 2022 and 2023 SALNs presented by the prosecution.

The defense is presenting evidence against Article II of the impeachment complaint, which accuses Duterte of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution for allegedly amassing P817 million to P1.5 billion in unexplained wealth through the nondisclosure of assets and failure to divest from business interests despite a constitutional prohibition.— MCG, GMA News

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