Defense questions former judge’s political stance during Sara Duterte impeachment hearing
Defense counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte asked former Sandiganbayan justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang if she opposed Duterte or supported Leni Robredo’s camp, which she denied.
The defense team for Vice President Sara Duterte raised the issue of former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang’s unfilled Supreme Court appointment during the impeachment proceedings. Attorney Mark Vinluan cross-examined Cabotaje-Tang, pressing her on whether she harbored anti-Duterte sentiments or aligned with the “kakampink” faction that backed former Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2022 election.
Cabotaje-Tang responded that she was not anti-Duterte, did not know Vice President Sara personally, and had never been involved in politics, stating she was unfamiliar with the “kakampink” label. Vinluan further asked if she was friends with prosecutor Akbayan party-list Representative Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, who arranged her subpoena; she said they were actually opponents in prior amparo cases before the Court of Appeals.
The prosecution had presented her as an expert on public accountability, emphasizing that unexplained wealth could justify removal from office. The exchange underscored the politicized atmosphere surrounding the impeachment trial.
Why it matters
The questioning reveals how political affiliations are being used to challenge credibility in a high-profile impeachment case.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report the same testimony, but left-leaning coverage highlights Tang’s emphatic denial of any anti-Duterte or political ties, while centrist coverage frames the episode as part of the defense’s procedural questioning about her unfilled Supreme Court appointment.
LEFT
Frames the story around Tang’s denial of any anti-Duterte stance or political affiliation, emphasizing her quoted statement “I am not anti-Duterte” and that she has “never been political.”
CENTER
Frames the story as the defense team’s line of questioning about Tang’s political stance and her unfilled Supreme Court appointment, noting the cross-examination details.
The left emphasises
- Tang says she is “not anti-Duterte.”
- She claims she has “never been political.”
- She does not personally know Vice President Sara Duterte.
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