Manila:Four senator-judges on Wednesday raised concerns over the absence of documentary evidence supporting the PHP2.14 million payments received by Vice President Sara Duterte from GenCorp Industries, Inc. between 2022 and 2025. These questions emerged during the 42nd day of Duterte's impeachment trial, focusing on claims that she had no role in the company's business operations.

According to Philippines News agency, GenCorp's in-house counsel, Suzette Balucanag-Punay, admitted her inability to provide contracts or other verifiable records to justify the payments made to Duterte. She stated, "I did not find any verifiable document. So, I cannot produce paper out of thin air. So, apologies if I cannot give a figure."

Senator-Judge Raffy Tulfo questioned the legitimacy of the PHP2.14 million as a return of capital, highlighting that the incorporation documents of Davao Bounty Times Food Corp., from which Duterte's investment allegedly originated, only listed PHP46,000. Punay clarified that this amount did not necessarily represent Duterte's total investment.

Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo further questioned the annual nature of the payments, asking why they were recurring if they were meant to be a return of capital. Punay responded that she could not account for the payment schedule as she was not involved with GenCorp's accounting department.

Senator-Judge Risa Hontiveros pointed out the monthly payments received by Duterte over four years, suggesting they resembled earnings or profits rather than a return of capital. Hontiveros also expressed constitutional concerns regarding Duterte's indirect financial interest in GenCorp, as declared in her 2024 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.

Senator-Judge Francis Pangilinan questioned Punay's claim that Duterte had no participation in GenCorp despite receiving financial benefits. Punay acknowledged Duterte's receipt of payments but emphasized that she was neither a stockholder nor involved in the company's management and operations. She noted that Duterte's investment in Davao Bounty transitioned to a Jollibee Times Square branch, which later came under GenCorp's management.

Punay also mentioned that the financial records she reviewed only covered the years 2022 to 2025, and she did not verify any payments for 2026, as the subpoena did not include that year.