MEMBERS of the defense panel had just turned the table against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whom they claimed also has financial interests in some companies, as reflected in a Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
During a direct examination, prosecution witness former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang reaffirmed that the President and Vice President are barred from participating in any business because of the greater possibility of abuse of power in their respective offices as the country’s two highest government officials.
After her testimony, the defense panel requested impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero that they be allowed to cross-examine Cabotaje-Tang. The request was granted.
It was then that lawyer Mark Vinluan in his capacity as member of the defense panel, cross-examined the former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice.
“A while ago, you mentioned that a President or a Vice President is absolutely prohibited from having financial interest in companies. Tama po ba? Dito po kasi sa SALN ni Presidente as of December 31, 2025, meron pong mga nakalistang…mga business and financial interests sa mga kumpanya,” Vinluan asked Cabotaje-Tang.
“So are you saying that this falls under what you mentioned about absolute prohibition in business and financial interest?” he added.
But even before Cabotaje-Tang could answer, House prosecutor Chel Diokno cut off, reiterating his objections.
“We have no way of knowing if what counsel is showing is an authenticated copy of the SALN; we have no way of knowing if that actually belongs to or was filed by the President,” Diokno said.
However, Escudero stood firm and allowed the question, saying the document could be properly marked at a later time.
In response to Diokno, Vinluan reiterated that the President’s SALN is “publicly available” and was previously made public by a news outlet, adding that the presiding officer has already ruled on the matter raised by the militant partylist congressman.
Tang declined to answer the question from the defense for which Vinluan caved in “out of respect to the former Sandiganbayan justice.