Sara Duterte impeachment trial: Court to tackle Article 2 on unexplained wealth

The Senate impeachment court in the Philippines is set to begin tackling Article 2 of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, which accuses her of accumulating unexplained wealth. According to impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol, the House prosecution panel will call former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang as the first witness. Tongol stated that the prosecution will seek to qualify Cabotaje-Tang as an expert witness in the trial. "An expert witness acts, in a way, like an amicus curiae (friend of the court). She would explain the process a judge follows to determine whether an official possesses unexplained or improperly accumulated wealth," Tongol told Senate reporters last Friday. He added, "She would also explain the mechanisms for making that determination, the applicable standards, and the methods government officials might use to conceal their wealth—drawing on her extensive experience, having served as a Sandiganbayan Justice for a very long time." Article 2 of the Articles of Impeachment specifically alleges that the Vice President accumulated unexplained wealth through the following: failure to fully and truthfully disclose all her and her spouse's assets, liabilities, and net worth in her statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) including in her SALN for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024; and failure to divest, and instead, willfully continued, all her business interests during her tenure as vice president for the years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Tongol mentioned that only one person might be presented on Monday, as the court expects the prosecution to exhaust the time available for Cabotaje-Tang's testimony. "Knowing the weight of the witness, the House prosecution panel naturally wouldn’t want to waste Justice Tang’s appearance in court. Her testimony is likely important, too. So, I think the prosecution will make a very good presentation on Monday," he said. Should Cabotaje-Tang be qualified as an expert witness, Tongol clarified that she will still be subject to cross-examination by the defense team. "The opposing counsel will ask questions to try to poke holes in her testimony. One way is by questioning the credibility of her expertise — whether or not she truly qualifies as an expert witness. Secondly, is by questioning her conclusions. How did she arrive at them? Is there a logical basis? Are her conclusions grounded in the facts or documents presented?" This trial underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in Philippine politics, with the wealth of a high-ranking public official under scrutiny.