Sara Duterte defense to proceed with evidence presentation without corporate counsel

The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte will proceed with its presentation of evidence on Monday, 9 November, without one of its scheduled opening witnesses after the corporate counsel of GenCorp Industries Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods Corp. asked to be excused due to a scheduled medical examination.

Public prosecutor and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro said they were informed that Atty. Suzette Balucanag-Punay, the companies’ corporate counsel, would miss the hearing.

“The next supposed witness is Attorney Punay, the corporate counsel of GenCorp and Metro City Chow, who apparently asked to be excused because of a scheduled MRI,” Luistro said in a radio interview.

Luistro said Punay would most likely be presented on Wednesday, as the court's subpoena was set to cover that date.

The defense intended to have Punay testify on the companies’ corporate records, Duterte’s business interests, and other financial documents relevant to the unexplained wealth allegations.

During its presentation of evidence, the prosecution submitted Securities and Exchange Commission records indicating that Duterte retained business interests in Metro City Chow after assuming office in 2022.

Prosecutors argued that these interests violated constitutional restrictions on public officials holding financial interests in businesses that could pose conflicts of interest.

Punay is the second witness to seek exemption from the 9 November proceedings. Constitutional law professor Ralph Sarmiento earlier asked to be excused, citing his desire to maintain impartiality in the proceedings.

With both lawyers absent, the defense is expected to call Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin, Island Garden City of Samal Assessor John Kenneth Enumerables, and Matina Crossing Barangay Chairperson Cindy Colina.

The defense’s witness list submitted on 4 November indicated that the three officials would testify on properties linked to the Vice President that were previously discussed by Land Registration Authority personnel.

“It is our anticipation that they will dwell on the two properties identified by the LRA during prosecution’s evidence [presentation] that these did not appear in the SALN declaration,” Luistro said.

“I remember the copy of the titles were presented, and also the deeds of sale of these two properties, and they did not match with the declarations in the SALN,” she added.

Punay and Sarmiento are among the 24 witnesses listed by the defense for presentation as the trial resumes after a break of more than three weeks.