Sara Duterte's defense grills ex-justice on political leanings in impeachment trial

The defense panel of Vice President Sara Duterte raised before the impeachment court the non-appointment of former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang to the Supreme Court, a position she applied for during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. During cross-examination, defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan questioned the former magistrate of the anti-graft court about her political stance, asking if she was anti-Duterte or allied with the camp of former Vice President Leni Robredo. The prosecution had presented Cabotaje-Tang as an expert witness on public accountability, who testified that a public official’s acquisition of unexplained wealth can be a ground for removal from office. "Are you anti-Duterte now?" Vinluan asked. "No, I’m not," Cabotaje-Tang replied. When asked if she liked VP Sara, she stated, "I do not know her personally." Vinluan also inquired if Cabotaje-Tang was a "kakampink," a term referring to supporters of former Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2022 presidential elections. After receiving an explanation of the term, she responded, "No. I’ve never been political in my life. I’ve always been apolitical." The defense also probed whether Cabotaje-Tang was friends with prosecutor Akbayan party-list Rep. Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, as her subpoena had been coursed through his office. "No. We were adversaries, actually, in the amparo cases before the Court of Appeals," she replied. This exchange highlights the deep political divisions in the Philippines and the potential for political influence in judicial appointments and proceedings. The tension between the Duterte camp and its supporters, and the Robredo camp and its allies, remains a significant aspect of Philippine politics.