Defense lawyer apologizes to Senate impeachment judges after citing AMLC confidentiality threats

On the 34th day of the Senate impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, defense attorney Mark Vinluan publicly apologized to the panel of senator-judges for his cross-examination of AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura. Vinluan had emphasized that exposing bank transaction details could expose individuals to jail, arguing that the Anti-Money Laundering Act’s Section 8A bars disclosure of such information, even to the media.

He insisted his line of questioning was solely to test the witness’s credibility and not to threaten the court. Senate presiding officer Francis Escudero said the apology was well-received, and senator-judge Vicente Sotto III, along with Raffy Tulfo and Francis Pangilinan, stressed that members of Congress enjoy parliamentary immunity and should seek redress from the Supreme Court if they feel aggrieved. Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros added that journalists should not be intimidated from covering the trial. The incident highlights tensions over confidentiality rules and the scope of parliamentary privilege in a high-profile impeachment.