Prosecution Struggles to Prove “Unexplained Wealth” Claims Against VP Duterte

Prosecution Struggles to Prove “Unexplained Wealth” Claims Against VP Duterte

By TheNATIONWEEK.com News Desk | September 15, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte entered its tenth week and Day 24 on Monday, September 14, with the prosecution struggling to establish compelling evidence for Article II’s “unexplained wealth” allegations. Despite fervent efforts to implicate the Vice President in false Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) from 2022 to 2024 and income from prohibited interests, the prosecution’s case appears to lack decisive impact.

Retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, presented as the prosecution’s lead witness for Article II, testified on the implications of consistent SALN omissions. She asserted that such omissions could signify attempted concealment and dishonesty, and that unexplained wealth investigations could extend beyond a respondent’s spouse to include minor children’s properties. Presiding Officer Francis Escudero allowed her testimony despite defense objections, emphasizing that her qualifications would undergo thorough cross-examination.

However, the defense swiftly challenged Cabotaje-Tang’s impartiality during cross-examination. Defense counsel Mark Vinluan highlighted her four unfulfilled Supreme Court applications during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s term and directly questioned her potential “anti-Duterte” bias. Cabotaje-Tang denied any prejudice, stating she did not personally know the Vice President. Vinluan also referenced President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s SALN not as a political attack, but as a test of Cabotaje-Tang’s argument on divestment, as clarified by defense counsel Michael Poa.

A key moment of public scrutiny arose when Cabotaje-Tang emphatically denied receiving any favors for her testimony. This exchange followed the defense’s inquiry, partly spurred by the Senate’s subpoena for Cabotaje-Tang being routed through House prosecutor Chel Diokno’s office, a measure Diokno explained as a means to shield her from potential harassment.

Under questioning from Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo and Presiding Officer Escudero, Cabotaje-Tang acknowledged that public officials are not mandated to declare funds merely passing through their accounts as “cash on hand.” While clarifying this does not preclude the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) from investigating covered or suspicious transactions, this distinction arguably weakened a potential avenue for the prosecution.

Looking forward, private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr. indicated that the Article II case would continue to pursue the Vice President’s “resibo ng yaman” (receipts of wealth) by cross-referencing her declared assets against tax filings, bank records, and business interests. The prosecution anticipates presenting an AMLC report reportedly detailing P6.7 billion in aggregate transactions linked to the accounts of Vice President Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio. However, on this pivotal day, the prosecution’s initial attempts to establish “unexplained wealth” allegations faced substantial objections and critical questioning from the defense, leaving the veracity of their claims under considerable scrutiny.