During the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang testified regarding the proper disclosure of assets. Tang emphasized that Republic Act No. 6713 mandates that cash on hand and bank deposits must be explicitly itemized in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) rather than being grouped with other personal properties. While Tang noted that such lumping is a violation of the law, she also highlighted that legal frameworks, specifically the Carlos vs. Executive Secretary case, allow for review and compliance procedures to rectify reporting errors. The testimony follows scrutiny over the Vice President's SALN filings from 2019 to 2024, where defense representatives admitted that cash and jewelry were consolidated under a single 'others' category instead of being declared individually as required by statute.
Source : GMA News
Photo : GMA News
