LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial (September 14, 2026)

The Senate impeachment court on Monday allowed the presentation of former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang as an expert witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

This was despite the objection of the Vice President's camp.

Defense lawyer Mark Vinluan said Tang’s testimony will already elicit conclusions of law which is the role of the senator-judges, not the witness.

House prosecutor and Akbayan party-list Chel Diokno explained that Tang’s expertise on public accountability laws is something that lawyers and non-lawyers are unfamiliar with, making her testimony necessary.

The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte objected to the scheduled testimony of former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje Tang for being improper.

Defense lawyer Mark Vinluan said Tang’s testimony will already elicit conclusions of law which is the role of the senator-judges, not the witness.

Likewise, Vinluan said Tang is a surprise witness and that they were not given the materials related to her testimony ahead of time for them to mount a defense.

“This will violate her (Vice President’s) right to be completely informed of the true nature and cause of accusations against her,” Vinluan said.

The Senate impeachment court on Monday will begin tackling Article 2 of the impeachment case, which accuses Vice President Sara Duterte of accumulating unexplained wealth.

Former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang will be the first witness that the House prosecution panel will call, according to impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol.

He said the prosecution will seek to qualify Cabotaje-Tang as an expert witness in the trial.