HOUSE impeachment prosecutor and Manila Rep. Joel Chua on Wednesday said Vice President Sara Duterte’s latest defense witness had offered nothing substantial to challenge the prosecution’s evidence of alleged unexplained wealth.
Chua, chair of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, made the assessment following the morning testimony of Suzette Balucanag-Punay, in-house counsel of GenCorp Industries Inc. and Metro Chow Foods Corp., before the Senate impeachment court.
During a press briefing, Deputy Speaker Francisco Paolo Ortega V asked Chua whether the prosecution had gained anything from the morning proceedings.
“None,” Chua replied.
Ortega followed up by asking whether the defense witness had offered anything significant.
“None,” Chua answered again.
Punay testified that Duterte received P2.14 million from GenCorp between 2022 and 2025, during her term as vice president.
She described the payments as returns of capital from a “loose investment” in the Jollibee Times Square branch in Davao City, one of five Jollibee branches operated by GenCorp.
However, under questioning by Presiding Officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Punay admitted that she could not verify Duterte’s original investment amount or produce written records explaining its nature.
Punay also disputed forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera’s estimate that Duterte had a 20% interest in GenCorp, maintaining that the vice president held no formal shares in the company.
Cabrera earlier attributed P212.63 million in alleged undeclared income from GenCorp to Duterte between 2023 and 2025.
The amount formed part of his findings of at least P817.87 million in alleged undeclared assets and unexplained wealth.
The defense disputes Cabrera’s calculations and maintains that Duterte’s investment was limited to the Jollibee Times Square branch rather than ownership of GenCorp.
The House prosecution maintains that Duterte must explain discrepancies between her declared assets, business interests and financial records under Article II, the remaining impeachment charge involving alleged unexplained wealth.
metrosundaily
