Retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang shut down defense insinuations of a quid pro quo during the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, delivering a sharp rebuke on the witness stand, “My testimony is not for sale, sir.”
The retired anti-graft judge made the statement while being cross-examined by defense counsel Mark Vinluan, who questioned whether she had been promised compensation or a post in exchange for her testimony.
Asked directly if she was offered anything to testify, Cabotaje-Tang responded firmly, “no, sir. And I will never testify if I if I ever I was offered anything material or otherwise.”
Vinluan also pressed Cabotaje-Tang on whether she was angling for an ambassadorial appointment.
“No, sir. I am retired and I want to enjoy my retirement,” she replied.
Cross-Examination Focuses on Scope and Knowledge
As the prosecution’s initial witness under Article II, which focuses on wealth disclosures and public accountability, Cabotaje-Tang was called to lay out the general legal concepts governing unexplained wealth, beneficial ownership, and Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
Under cross-examination, Cabotaje-Tang clarified her interactions with the prosecution prior to taking the stand. She noted that House prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno did not provide specific questions in advance, though they had reviewed relevant anti-corruption statutes.
“No, sir. Not the questions, but honestly, he told me about the laws regarding SALN and the like,” Cabotaje-Tang said, adding that she knew beforehand she was being called as an expert witness.
When asked if she had evaluated the specific evidence compiled against the Vice President, Cabotaje-Tang emphasized that her role was purely educational and conceptual rather than investigative.
“I never made any conclusion of fact or law here regarding this case. All I dwelt on were our laws about anti-corruption and their application by the Supreme Court,” Cabotaje-Tang said. Asked directly if she had examined the full case records, she answered, “No.”
She confirmed that her testimony was strictly confined to “the proper applications of the anti-corruption laws as ruled by the Supreme Court.”
No Direct Knowledge of VP Assets
Vinluan repeatedly questioned whether Cabotaje-Tang had firsthand knowledge regarding the allegations against Vice President Duterte.
“No, sir,” Cabotaje-Tang replied when asked if she had personal knowledge of any unexplained wealth accumulated by the Vice President.
She similarly confirmed having no knowledge of any specific real estate, personal properties, stocks, or bonds that Duterte allegedly omitted or misdeclared in her SALNs.
When Vinluan asked if she possessed any direct knowledge concerning the accuracy of Duterte’s filings, Cabotaje-Tang reiterated: “I have none. Absolutely, sir.”
The prosecution presented the former Sandiganbayan chief to establish an analytical framework for interpreting financial documents and upcoming testimony, rather than relying on her for direct factual evidence. Earlier in her presentation, Cabotaje-Tang described the SALN as an essential “accountability framework” under Philippine jurisprudence.
Article II of the impeachment complaint alleges that Duterte accumulated wealth disproportionate to her lawful income and failed to present complete, truthful SALN disclosures. The Vice President maintains her innocence and denies all charges.