MANILA – The House prosecution panel has announced the addition of a group of private lawyers who will assist in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, bolstering its legal team ahead of proceedings in the Senate impeachment court.
House Committee on Justice Chair Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro said the new members include veteran litigators, former government attorneys, and law firm partners who volunteered their services on a pro bono basis.
According to Luistro, the private prosecutors will support the House team in case preparation, including gathering evidence, preparing witnesses, drafting pleadings, and developing trial strategy. She added that additional batches of lawyers are expected to be announced later.
The first wave of private prosecutors comes from PECABAR Law, Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices, and SALiGAL Law, firms with experience in handling high-profile criminal, corporate, and arbitration cases.
Among them are PECABAR managing partner Marforth Fua, who previously served as assistant presidential legal counsel under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.; prominent trial lawyer Lorna Kapunan; and Cebu-based legal practitioner Amando Virgil Ligutan, who also teaches at the University of the Philippines College of Law.
Other members include PECABAR lawyers Erwin Matib, Justine Anne Lamarca, and James Bryan Ibrahim, as well as Kapunan and Castillo partners Sonya Margarita Benemerito Castillo, Deanne Melissa Lorenzo-Singian, Bettina Zamora, and Lino Chris Kapunan.
The group brings broad legal expertise covering criminal litigation, anti-corruption cases, corporate disputes, labor and tax law, and arbitration proceedings.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, part of the House prosecution panel, said the participation of private lawyers reflects a tradition in major impeachment trials, citing his own experience during the impeachment case of former President Joseph Estrada.
He said their assistance would be important in handling evidence and preparing witnesses for presentation before the Senate.
Diokno also noted that impeachment prosecution involves complex legal work requiring careful coordination and strict adherence to evidentiary rules.
Luistro emphasized that the lawyers are participating without pay and are motivated by a commitment to accountability and constitutional responsibility.
She added that while the team has expanded, authority over the case remains with the House prosecutors, with private lawyers serving only in a supporting role under official supervision.
Diokno echoed this clarification, stressing that under impeachment rules, all private prosecutors remain under the direction and control of the House panel throughout the trial.
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