Who are Sara Duterte’s initial witnesses in impeachment trial?

VEEP. This file photo shows Vice President Sara Duterte. Sara Duterte's Facebook page The defense's initial witnesses include a representative of GenCorp and Metro City Chow Foods, companies linked to the Vice President Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team has requested subpoenas for corporate, local government, and banking officials to testify in her impeachment trial. The subpoenas include requests for corporate records from Gencorp Industries Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods, as well as testimonies from local government employees regarding Duterte's tax declarations. The impeachment trial is currently on hold due to Senate committee hearings on the national budget, with proceedings set to resume on November 9. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. MANILA, Philippines – The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte has asked the Senate impeachment court to subpoena corporate, local government, and banking officials to testify in her impeachment trial, including a representative of the companies allegedly linked to her. In a manifestation filed on Wednesday, November 4, the defense requested the issuance of subpoenas duces tecum and ad testificandum to Suzette Balucanag-Punay, corporate counsel of Gencorp Industries Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods. The subpoena would direct Balucanag-Punay to appear before the impeachment court and bring certified true copies and original copies of the companies’ general information sheets and audited financial statements from 2022 to 2025, as well as other related corporate records covering the same period. Balucanag-Punay is expected to testify on relevant corporate and business matters, including Duterte’s alleged business interests in Gencorp and Metro City Chow Foods. The defense also asked the impeachment court to subpoena several local government employees, including Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin and Island Garden City of Samal Assessor John Kenneth Enumerables. They are expected to testify on matters concerning Duterte’s tax declarations and tax maps covering properties within their respective jurisdictions. Davao City Accountant Vingelin Bajan and Barangay Matina Crossing Chairperson Cindy Colina were also included in the defense’s list of proposed witnesses. The defense further requested the issuance of subpoenas to at least 16 bank employees to testify in the impeachment trial. They are as follows: Olivia BarcarseFirst Vice President, Branch Banking GroupBDO Unibank, Inc. Atty. Alvin C. GoLegal Service Group HeadBDO Unibank, Inc. Atty. Paul Roderick A. YsmaelSenior Vice PresidentBank of the Philippine Islands Atty. Cesar Bernard R. ColomaVice President, Head of LitigationBank of the Philippine Islands Atty. Marino M. Buban, Jr.First Vice President/Head of Legal Service DivisionEastWest Bank Joselito B. ValladaSenior Vice President, Legal Services GroupLandbank of the Philippines Atty. Janella Marie R. PanlilioHead of Legal and Remedial Services GroupMetropolitan Bank & Trust Company Atty. Jose M. Manuel Jr.Head of Legal Services DivisionPhilippine Savings Bank Rodel C. MediavilloBranch Review and Control Unit HeadPhilippine Savings Bank May Ann R. Candaroma-MoralesLoan Securities Department HeadPhilippine Savings Bank Atty. Joseph Anthony P. LopezHead of Legal / First Vice PresidentSecurity Bank Atty. Joseph Anthony P. LopezHead of Legal / First Vice PresidentSecurity Bank Louiemel P. PanesBranch AmbassadorUnionBank of the Philippines Rogelio C. Villos, Jr.Senior Branch AmbassadorUnionBank of the Philippines Jayah Deneserie B. ScalfBranch AmbassadorUnionBank of the Philippines Gemma Lynn L. Del MundoSenior Branch AmbassadorUnionBank of the Philippines The impeachment trial was put on hold to give way to Senate committee hearings on the proposed 2027 national budget. The proceedings will resume on Monday, November 9, with Duterte’s defense team beginning its presentation of evidence. The defense earlier asked the Senate impeachment court to subpoena former law school dean Ralph Sarmiento as its first witness, but the constitutional law expert declined the request. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading