Rude yesterday, evasive today: Solons hit Duterte lawyers’ attitude

MANILA, Philippines — Two ranking House of Representatives lawmakers have called out Vice President Sara Duterte’s lawyers for their demeanor during the impeachment trial, saying that the counsel on duty on Monday was rude, while the one deployed on Tuesday was evasive.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. were both asked if they have observed differences in how defense lawyers cross-examined former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang on Monday, and earlier, Office of the Ombudsman Central Records Division officer-in-charge Atty. Karen Batu.

It was Atty. Mark Vinluan who cross-examined Cabotaje-Tang and Atty. Justin Nicol Gular for Batu.  However, several netizens have accused Vinluan of being rude and irreverent as he asked Cabotaje-Tang questions that delved into the former Sandiganbayan official’s integrity.

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READ: Vinluan questions Tang’s political alignment: ‘Are you anti-Duterte?’ 

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“You know the difference between yesterday and today: Vinluan was too condescending yesterday; you know, his statements were too insulting.  But today, they were trying to find excuses, so insults yesterday, excuses today,” Abante told reporters.

“Because look ha, they always say — we have been whispering to each other — they always say that she (Batu) has no personal knowledge.  Of course, she would have no personal knowledge because she only records and receives SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth),” he added.

Ortega, meanwhile, pointed out that their colleague Deputy Speaker Janette Garin may have been kind in giving her assessment on Monday, as the latter said in a previous press briefing that Vinluan was somewhat rude and cocky.

For Ortega, Vinluan was really rude and cocky.

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“Somewhat (rude)  Only somewhat, with that behavior? […] I mean, for those in the legal profession, there is a certain code for lawyers, those who practice the legal profession,” Ortega said of Vinluan.

“Of course I know that we are in the middle of the trial and things are bound to be intense, but let us not push it towards a point that it would be personal, to the point where witnesses would be asked if they are a ‘Kakampink,’ right?  So it’s no longer somewhat rude; they were really rude in how they attacked that part. It’s no longer describable as ‘somewhat,’” he added.

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At one point during his cross-examination of Cabotaje-Tang, Vinluan asked the former Sandiganbayan official about her political leanings — whether she was anti-Duterte or a Kakampink, the term used by supporters of former Vice President Leni Robredo, referring to their use of pink as a motif when she ran for president in 2022.

Cabotaje-Tang responded by saying that she has been apolitical for a long time, adding that she did not even know what a “Kakampink” is.

At one point, Vinluan asked Cabotaje-Tang whether she had been promised anything for testifying before the impeachment court.  This prompted the former Sandiganbayan official to say that her testimony is not for sale.

“Were you promised anything in return, in exchange for your testimony today Ma’am?” Vinluan asked.

“No, sir.  And I will never testify if I were ever offered anything, material or otherwise. My testimony is not for sale sir,” the former justice replied.

READ: Tang tells Duterte lawyer: My testimony isn’t for sale 

Duterte’s SALNs were scrutinized on Day 25 of her impeachment trial, as the prosecution panel moved to Article II of the Articles of Impeachment.

Article II alleges that Duterte has unexplained wealth which she did not declare in his SALN.  To authenticate Duterte’s SALNs, the prosecution presented Batu, but the defense initially objected to Alih’s offer of Batu’s testimony as it would touch on SALNs that were submitted before 2022, or prior to the Vice President’s term.

Escudero reminded Gular that the matter had been settled already when the Senate Impeachment Court ruled on the prosecution’s request for subpoenas.

According to Escudero, there will be no additional charges against Duterte beyond those mentioned in the Articles of Impeachment, and the SALNs from 2007 to 2021 will be used only to establish a baseline.

READ: Escudero OKs showing of VP Duterte’s SALNs from 2007: For baseline only 

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Gular also insisted that Batu has no personal knowledge of the case against Duterte, which the prosecution affirmed since the Ombudsman official’s role is only to record-keep and authenticate the Vice President’s SALNs. /das