THE defense team’s scheduled witness Suzette Balucanag‑Punay, corporate counsel for both Gencorp Industries Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods Corp., will not appear when the Senate Impeachment Court convenes on Monday, November 9.
House Lead Prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro confirmed Sunday that the lawyer has notified the court she is unable to attend due to a scheduled magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Her testimony, originally set for the first day of the defense’s presentation, is now expected to take place on Wednesday, as the subpoena issued to her covers the full three‑day window from November 9 through 13.
Balucanag‑Punay had been listed to produce certified corporate records — including General Information Sheets and audited financial statements from 2022 to 2025 — related to Vice President Sara Duterte’s declared business interests. Her absence is the second setback for the defense’s opening witness lineup, coming just days after constitutional law expert Dean Ralph Sarmiento formally declined to testify, citing the need to preserve his independence and impartiality as an academic. Sarmiento had been slated to be the very first witness called to address legal and constitutional principles underlying the case.
With both Sarmiento and Balucanag‑Punay unavailable for Monday, the court will instead hear from other witnesses on the initial list, including Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin, Island Garden City of Samal Assessor John Kenneth Enumerables, and Matina Crossing Barangay Captain Cindy Colina. Luistro expressed confidence that the defense will face difficulty challenging the prosecution’s evidence, noting that the testimonies anticipated from these and subsequent witnesses are rooted in verifiable documents and factual records. The trial resumes at 10 a.m. Monday, with the Senate scheduled to hold its regular session in the afternoon before proceedings continue.
metrosundaily
