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Advocates Philippines
House Adds Top Lawyers To Sara Impeachment Team
Congress FILE
The House prosecution panel on Thursday introduced the first batch of private lawyers who will help handle the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, bringing in a roster of veteran litigators, former government officials, law firm partners and legal experts to strengthen the team ahead of the Senate trial.
House Committee on Justice chairman and lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro said the lawyers volunteered to join the effort on a pro bono basis and will assist in preparing witnesses, evidence, pleadings and overall trial strategy.
“Today is a very important day for the country because finally, we will be introducing the first batch of the private prosecutors who will be assisting the House prosecutors. By first batch, it means that there will be subsequent batches,” Luistro said during a press conference.
The initial group includes lawyers from three prominent firms — PECABAR Law, Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices, and SALiGAL Law — whose members have handled major criminal cases, corporate disputes, arbitration proceedings and high-profile litigation.
Among those joining the prosecution team are Marforth T. Fua, managing partner of PECABAR Law and former assistant presidential legal counsel under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; veteran lawyer Lorna Kapunan, founder and senior partner of Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices; and Cebu-based lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, managing partner of SALiGAL Law and senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Law.
They are joined by several other lawyers from the three firms, bringing decades of experience in criminal litigation, anti-graft cases, commercial disputes, labor and family law, environmental law, taxation and corporate practice.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno, one of the House prosecutors, said the involvement of private lawyers follows a tradition seen in previous impeachment cases. He noted that he himself served as a volunteer prosecutor during the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada.
Diokno stressed that preparing an impeachment case requires extensive work and said the help from private prosecutors would be crucial.
“Hindi po madali ang trabaho ng isang prosecutor. Maraming kailangang gawin in terms of witnesses, in terms of evidence, exhibits, making sure that all the evidence we present is admitted by the court,” Diokno said.
“It’s not exactly simple or easy. Kaya we really appreciate the help of our private prosecutors.”
Luistro said the lawyers agreed to work without compensation because they believe in the constitutional duty of holding public officials accountable.
“We solicited the help of private lawyers who are willing to be with us on this cause on a voluntary basis. Mas kilala sa tawag na pro bono, o para mas maintindihan pa ng ating mga kababayan, ibig sabihin libre, walang bayad,” she said.
Despite the expanded legal team, Luistro emphasized that the House prosecution panel remains in charge of the case.
“I want to make it clear that the lead and the one in control of the trial will still be the House prosecutors,” Luistro said.
“In other words, ang mga private prosecutors po na makakasama ng House prosecutors will be assisting prosecutors. And pursuant to the rules, they will remain under the direct control and supervision of the House prosecutors.”
Diokno echoed the same point, saying the responsibilities of private prosecutors are clearly laid out under impeachment rules.
“As far as the rules are concerned, klaro naman, any and all private prosecutors are under the control and supervision of the public prosecutors, and that will be the role that we will maintain throughout the impeachment proceedings,” he said.
Luistro said the volunteer lawyers share the House prosecutors’ commitment to transparency, accountability and the rule of law.
“What is important today is to express to the public that the private lawyers who are with us share with the House prosecutors the cause of bringing this case to the impeachment trial and until the rendition of judgment,” she said.
“They believe in the mandate of transparency and accountability. They support the mandate of the Constitution, and that is the ultimate and sole reason why they are joining the public prosecutors in this impeachment trial.”
She added that Thursday’s announcement is only the first wave of reinforcements, with more private prosecutors expected to be introduced in the coming weeks.
“We are more confident than before because of the presence of the private prosecutors,” Luistro said.
House Committee on Justice chairman and lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro said the lawyers volunteered to join the effort on a pro bono basis and will assist in preparing witnesses, evidence, pleadings and overall trial strategy.
“Today is a very important day for the country because finally, we will be introducing the first batch of the private prosecutors who will be assisting the House prosecutors. By first batch, it means that there will be subsequent batches,” Luistro said during a press conference.
The initial group includes lawyers from three prominent firms — PECABAR Law, Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices, and SALiGAL Law — whose members have handled major criminal cases, corporate disputes, arbitration proceedings and high-profile litigation.
Among those joining the prosecution team are Marforth T. Fua, managing partner of PECABAR Law and former assistant presidential legal counsel under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; veteran lawyer Lorna Kapunan, founder and senior partner of Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices; and Cebu-based lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, managing partner of SALiGAL Law and senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Law.
They are joined by several other lawyers from the three firms, bringing decades of experience in criminal litigation, anti-graft cases, commercial disputes, labor and family law, environmental law, taxation and corporate practice.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno, one of the House prosecutors, said the involvement of private lawyers follows a tradition seen in previous impeachment cases. He noted that he himself served as a volunteer prosecutor during the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada.
Diokno stressed that preparing an impeachment case requires extensive work and said the help from private prosecutors would be crucial.
“Hindi po madali ang trabaho ng isang prosecutor. Maraming kailangang gawin in terms of witnesses, in terms of evidence, exhibits, making sure that all the evidence we present is admitted by the court,” Diokno said.
“It’s not exactly simple or easy. Kaya we really appreciate the help of our private prosecutors.”
Luistro said the lawyers agreed to work without compensation because they believe in the constitutional duty of holding public officials accountable.
“We solicited the help of private lawyers who are willing to be with us on this cause on a voluntary basis. Mas kilala sa tawag na pro bono, o para mas maintindihan pa ng ating mga kababayan, ibig sabihin libre, walang bayad,” she said.
Despite the expanded legal team, Luistro emphasized that the House prosecution panel remains in charge of the case.
“I want to make it clear that the lead and the one in control of the trial will still be the House prosecutors,” Luistro said.
“In other words, ang mga private prosecutors po na makakasama ng House prosecutors will be assisting prosecutors. And pursuant to the rules, they will remain under the direct control and supervision of the House prosecutors.”
Diokno echoed the same point, saying the responsibilities of private prosecutors are clearly laid out under impeachment rules.
“As far as the rules are concerned, klaro naman, any and all private prosecutors are under the control and supervision of the public prosecutors, and that will be the role that we will maintain throughout the impeachment proceedings,” he said.
Luistro said the volunteer lawyers share the House prosecutors’ commitment to transparency, accountability and the rule of law.
“What is important today is to express to the public that the private lawyers who are with us share with the House prosecutors the cause of bringing this case to the impeachment trial and until the rendition of judgment,” she said.
“They believe in the mandate of transparency and accountability. They support the mandate of the Constitution, and that is the ultimate and sole reason why they are joining the public prosecutors in this impeachment trial.”
She added that Thursday’s announcement is only the first wave of reinforcements, with more private prosecutors expected to be introduced in the coming weeks.
“We are more confident than before because of the presence of the private prosecutors,” Luistro said.
Jun 11, 2026
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