Defense couldn't 'sabotage' Cabotaje-Tang, says prosecution

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The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte failed in its efforts to "sabotage" the testimony of retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, the House prosecution panel said Monday.

Cabotaje-Tang, who retired in 2024, has 44 years of experience handling anti-corruption cases from the Supreme Court and the Office of the Solicitor General up to the Sandiganbayan.

She testified at the impeachment trial as an expert on anti-corruption and accountability laws governing officials and their associates, after she was subpoenaed by the prosecution to appear.

“Hindi nasabotahe si Cabotaje-Tang [They were not able to sabotage Cabotaje-Tang]. She served the government for 44 years, she testified why the SALN [Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth] reporting for public officials is important, why honesty weighs a lot, especially for high-ranking public officials, and why public officials should be transparent and accountable for their wealth,” said House prosecutor Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro party-list in a press conference after the day's trial proceedings.

“Our witness has her credibility intact, and I will repeat what many of the senator judges had stated. We thank her for the service to the nation, and we thank her today for basically delivering the message that public office is a public trust,” he added.

Expert on accountability

Asked if the questions posed by the defense team to Cabotaje-Tang were disrespectful, House prosecutor Chel Diokno of Akbayan party-list did not give a categorical answer but said the prosecution was able to establish, through her testimony, that public officials are ultimately accountable to the people who elected them.

"Kayo na lang po ang maghusga diyan [You be the judge],” said Diokno, who conducted a direct examination on Cabotaje-Tang on the stand.

“It is pretty clear that our purpose is to present the legal framework [for our impeachment case], and that is why we had her as a witness. She is the best person to explain the things needed to be explained,” Diokno added.

Among the salient points of Cabotaje-Tang’s testimony which cited existing anti-corruption laws and Supreme Court decisions include:

• a public official with proven unexplained wealth can be removed from office
• cash on hand and cash in bank should be declared under cash category of the SALN, not under “others”
• government authorities can scrutinize the wealth of the public official’s immediate family such as spouse and children because this will prevent public officials from using their family members to hide their money
• laws require a public official to declare his or her spouse’s assets under his/her SALN unless they have a prenuptial agreement of separation of assets.

For Deputy Speaker Janette Garin, defense lawyer Mark Vinluan’s questioning during the cross-examination was improper.

“It was very disrespectful and uncalled for. If they really wanted to test her credibility, then they should have presented a case wherein the former justice was involved in a bribery case. Wala [naman] e. We cannot deny that the reputation of our former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice is untainted by such,” she said.

(There was none presented of that kind.)

“She was there to interpret laws to the best of her capability and her experience having been in government in those positions [addressing corruption] for a long time. And I am sorry, but in my view, sa bagong Pilipinas, bawal ang bastos, at kanina, medyo nababastusan ako roon sa ibang katanungan ni Attorney Mark Vinluan [In the new Philippines, disrespect is not allowed, and I found some of Attorney Vinluan's questions disrespectful],” Garin added. — BM, GMA News