Senate impeachment court permits former Sandiganbayan justice to testify as expert
The Senate impeachment court approved former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang to serve as an expert witness in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, despite objections from the vice president’s camp.
During Monday's proceedings, the Senate impeachment court voted to allow Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, a former presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan, to give expert testimony in the case against Vice President Sara Duterte. The vice president’s team, represented by lawyer Mark Vinluan, argued that her testimony would pre-empt the judges’ role by offering legal conclusions. Prosecutor Chel Diokno, speaking for the House and the Akbayan party-list, countered that her specialized knowledge of public-accountability statutes is essential and not commonly held by lawyers or laypersons.
Why it matters
The ruling determines whether specialized legal expertise can influence a high-profile impeachment trial in the Philippines.
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