Baste Duterte Draws Attention With All-Black Outfit at Impeachment Trial
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte caught public attention when he appeared as a witness during the 31st day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on September 29, 2026.
Aside from his testimony, his all-black outfit also became a topic online. He wore a black polo shirt, black pants, and black shoes, leading some netizens to compare his look to a mafia boss, action star, or character from an AI-generated drama. Others praised his appearance and said he looked confident and stylish.
Baste was summoned by the Senate impeachment court to testify about issues connected to Davao City government transactions and his sister’s declared business interests. During the hearing, the court classified him as a hostile witness, which allowed prosecutors to ask him leading questions.
One of the main issues discussed was GenCorp Industries Inc., a company that Sara Duterte listed as a business interest in her 2024 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. Baste confirmed that the Davao City government had entered into 19 contracts with GenCorp starting in 2022. Based on the records presented during the hearing, the contracts were worth around ₱33.26 million. He said the transactions went through the required government procurement process.
Baste also said he was not aware of Sara’s business interest in GenCorp when the city entered into the contracts. He said he only learned about her connection to the company after the issue was brought up during the impeachment proceedings. He also noted that Sara’s name was not included in the corporate documents submitted by GenCorp for the transactions.
While the hearing focused mainly on the impeachment case and government contracts, Baste’s all-black appearance quickly became a separate talking point online. His outfit drew various reactions from netizens and added another point of interest to his closely watched appearance before the Senate impeachment court.
