Poa: Marcos SALN shown in trial only to test witness’ argument

MANILA, Philippines — Showing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial was meant to test the prosecution witness’ argument on divestment, and not to make a political attack on the president, defense counsel Michael Poa said Monday.

“I don’t want to make it look political. It wasn’t targeted at the president himself, but it’s just a fact of divestment,” Poa clarified during a post-trial briefing.

His explanation came after defense counsel Mark Vinluan presented Marcos’ SALN during his cross-examination of retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang on the 24th day of Duterte’s trial.

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Tang was called in as the prosecution’s first witness in its presentation of Article II of the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

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Article II, which accuses Duterte of unexplained wealth, also alleges that the vice president failed to “fully and truthfully disclose all her and her spouse’s assets, liabilities, and net worth” in her SALNs and failed to divest from her business interests while serving as vice president from 2022 to 2025.

READ: Witness explains ‘unexplained, hidden’ wealth in Sara Duterte trial

During Monday’s trial, Tang testified on the legal principles governing undisclosed and unexplained wealth and prohibited business interests.

She cited Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution, which provides that the president and vice president, along with members of the Cabinet and their deputies or assistants, shall not directly or indirectly practice any other profession or participate in any business.

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She also said that under the law, “there is a need to divest upon assumption of office immediately and within 30 days.” 

During cross-examination, Vinluan showed Tang a copy of Marcos’ 2025 SALN, pointing out that it contained declarations of financial and business interests.

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“If there are declarations of financial and business interests by the president, for example, isn’t that what you mentioned about absolute prohibition?” Vinluan asked.

Tang declined to answer.

Vinluan then posed a hypothetical question on whether a president’s or vice president’s name appearing in a company’s General Information Sheet would, by itself, constitute an impeachable offense.

READ: Vinluan questions Tang’s political alignment: ‘Are you anti-Duterte?’

Tang again declined to answer, saying she could not address the question.

Poa said the defense raising of Marcos’ SALN was incidental since both the president and vice president are “supposedly covered” by the “absolute prohibition.”

“It wasn’t to show that there was any wrongdoing on the part of the president at all or on the part of the vice president,” Poa explained.

He added that the defense only wanted to “pick the brain” of Tang as a former justice.

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“But I hope that’s not taken personally, because it was really, it just had to do with we only had two officials at that time that we had access to SALNs. That’s why that was the one brought up,” Poa said further. /das