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Advocates Philippines
House Prosecutors 'Cramming' For Sara Trial Like Bar Exams
Photo credit: Congress TV
The House prosecution panel is stepping up preparations for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro comparing the intense review process to preparing for the Bar examinations all over again.
Speaking during Kongreso Ngayon @ Your Service on dzME, Luistro said members of the prosecution team have been spending long hours reviewing legal procedures, evidence, and case strategies ahead of the Senate impeachment trial.
“As a matter of fact ang aking analogy para kaming bumalik sa bar exam,” Luistro, a lawyer herself, said.
“All of us are lawyers so medyo familiar naman kaming lahat sa pinagdaanan namin. Natatawa nalang kami on what is happening to us because apparently talagang para kami mga law students na bumalik sa review ng Bar,” Luistro said.
The 11-member prosecution panel was formed after the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Duterte and transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate impeachment court.
Aside from Luistro, the prosecution team includes lawmakers Chel Diokno, Leila de Lima, Joel Chua, Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, Terry Ridon, and several other House members tasked with presenting different portions of the case.
The impeachment complaint against Duterte includes allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, alleged bribery linked to the distribution of cash envelopes at the Department of Education, and alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez.
Luistro said prosecutors are now finalizing witness lists, documentary evidence, video materials, and direct examination strategies for every article of impeachment.
“We are finalizing of course the list of our witnesses per article. We are finalizing the list of documents to be presented per article,” she said.
“‘Pag sinabi nating documents it does not pertain to paper only, it includes even videos and we are also finalizing the nature of the direct examination na dapat naming gawin in order to establish our case per witness per article,” Luistro added.
She also admitted that some members of the panel are reviewing rules on evidence and courtroom procedures as part of their preparations for what is expected to be one of the country’s biggest political trials in recent years.
“We are even reviewing our rules on evidence because most of us ay limited lang ang naging experience sa practice,” Luistro said.
Despite the legal preparations, Luistro emphasized that impeachment trials are not meant to function exactly like ordinary court proceedings. She noted that the Constitution intentionally placed impeachment powers in Congress instead of the judiciary to allow a broader process aimed at uncovering the truth.
“Ito ay purposely ginawang liberal because of the importance of the subject matter of the impeachment proceedings,” Luistro said. “Of course, the importance of it is we are trying to test the fitness of the highest official of the land.”
“Ang sabi ko nga in one of my opening statements if indeed the intention of the framers of the Constitutions is to make it purely legal, sana binigay nalang sa judiciary, pero hindi,” she added.
“Ibinigay ito sa lehislatura and in our case we are the representatives of the people because the intention really is to make it liberal so as to ferret out the truth,” Luistro said.
Speaking during Kongreso Ngayon @ Your Service on dzME, Luistro said members of the prosecution team have been spending long hours reviewing legal procedures, evidence, and case strategies ahead of the Senate impeachment trial.
“As a matter of fact ang aking analogy para kaming bumalik sa bar exam,” Luistro, a lawyer herself, said.
“All of us are lawyers so medyo familiar naman kaming lahat sa pinagdaanan namin. Natatawa nalang kami on what is happening to us because apparently talagang para kami mga law students na bumalik sa review ng Bar,” Luistro said.
The 11-member prosecution panel was formed after the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Duterte and transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate impeachment court.
Aside from Luistro, the prosecution team includes lawmakers Chel Diokno, Leila de Lima, Joel Chua, Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, Terry Ridon, and several other House members tasked with presenting different portions of the case.
The impeachment complaint against Duterte includes allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, alleged bribery linked to the distribution of cash envelopes at the Department of Education, and alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez.
Luistro said prosecutors are now finalizing witness lists, documentary evidence, video materials, and direct examination strategies for every article of impeachment.
“We are finalizing of course the list of our witnesses per article. We are finalizing the list of documents to be presented per article,” she said.
“‘Pag sinabi nating documents it does not pertain to paper only, it includes even videos and we are also finalizing the nature of the direct examination na dapat naming gawin in order to establish our case per witness per article,” Luistro added.
She also admitted that some members of the panel are reviewing rules on evidence and courtroom procedures as part of their preparations for what is expected to be one of the country’s biggest political trials in recent years.
“We are even reviewing our rules on evidence because most of us ay limited lang ang naging experience sa practice,” Luistro said.
Despite the legal preparations, Luistro emphasized that impeachment trials are not meant to function exactly like ordinary court proceedings. She noted that the Constitution intentionally placed impeachment powers in Congress instead of the judiciary to allow a broader process aimed at uncovering the truth.
“Ito ay purposely ginawang liberal because of the importance of the subject matter of the impeachment proceedings,” Luistro said. “Of course, the importance of it is we are trying to test the fitness of the highest official of the land.”
“Ang sabi ko nga in one of my opening statements if indeed the intention of the framers of the Constitutions is to make it purely legal, sana binigay nalang sa judiciary, pero hindi,” she added.
“Ibinigay ito sa lehislatura and in our case we are the representatives of the people because the intention really is to make it liberal so as to ferret out the truth,” Luistro said.
May 21, 2026
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