Sara Duterte trial: Can a VP have business interests?

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VEEP. Vice President Sara Duterte addresses an event in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, in late May 2026.

The start of the unexplained wealth case against Vice President Sara Duterte put front and center her business interests, and why that obviously raises numerous questions.

The prosecution team called former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang to the witness stand on Monday, September 14, despite her lack of personal knowledge of Duterte’s impeachment case, to supposedly give the viewing a public a better chance to understand the legal concepts on public accountability.

After the prosecution survived an attempt by the defense team to exclude her testimony from the trial, prosecutor Chel Diokno discussed with Tang some important constitutional provisions involving the President and the Vice President.