World · Philippines Bureau
Four senator-judges rebuke Duterte lawyer's warning against media disclosure
Four of the 24 senator-judges presiding over Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial publicly criticized defense counsel Mark Vinluan on Monday for raising potential criminal and administrative penalties against those who report confidential information to the media.
LSN Philippines ·
The senator-judges expressed concern during the cross-examination of Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat executive director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura, when Vinluan outlined possible legal consequences for disclosing sensitive financial data. The defense lawyer's line of questioning appeared designed to discourage witnesses and journalists from sharing protected information related to the impeachment proceedings.
The four magistrates intervened to assert that public disclosure of information relevant to the ongoing trial should not be subject to intimidation or threats of prosecution. Their intervention underscored tensions between the defense team's strategy and the senate's commitment to transparency during the high-profile proceeding against the Vice President.
Vinluan had been questioning Buenaventura about the scope of confidentiality requirements governing AMLC records. The defense counsel's emphasis on potential penalties for unauthorized disclosure drew immediate pushback from the bench, with the senator-judges emphasizing that legitimate reporting on impeachment matters falls within permissible bounds.
The incident highlights the ongoing friction between Duterte's legal team and the senate leadership over procedural matters and the boundaries of permitted public discourse surrounding the impeachment trial. The proceedings continue to draw intense scrutiny from Philippine media and civil society organizations monitoring the case.