Politics · Philippines Bureau
Children's assets can be probed in unexplained wealth cases, court told
A retired senior judge testified before the Senate impeachment court that investigations into alleged unexplained wealth of public officials can extend to properties and assets owned by their minor children, not just spouses.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang told the Senate impeachment court on Monday that probes into unexplained wealth of public officers are not limited to the official and their spouse's assets.
Cabotaje-Tang testified that investigations can legally cover properties and financial holdings belonging to minor children of the public official under scrutiny, expanding the scope of wealth accountability measures.
The retired justice was called to the witness stand by the prosecution team in ongoing impeachment proceedings, where she provided expert testimony on the legal framework governing unexplained wealth cases.
Her testimony underscores the breadth of investigative authority available to authorities when examining whether public officials have acquired assets beyond what their legitimate income could reasonably account for.
The proceeding marks a significant moment in the impeachment trial, as the court seeks to establish the legal parameters for investigating hidden or undisclosed wealth among government officials and their families.