Courtesy of Atty. Benjamin S. Tolosa Jr.

The House prosecution panel handling the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte has added a prominent litigation expert to its roster, with veteran lawyer Benjamin S. Tolosa Jr. set to serve as both legal spokesperson and private prosecutor.

The announcement was made Monday by House Committee on Justice Chairperson and lead prosecutor Atty. Gerville Luistro during a press conference held at the Senate as pre-trial proceedings continued.

“We would like to introduce, of course, our legal spokesperson. He is one of the assisting councils and, of course, isa ring abogado de campanilia. To my right, of course, is attorney Benjamin S. Tulosa Jr. As legal spokesperson, he will be speaking in behalf of the prosecution team, particularly with respect to the developments that are happening in the proceedings of the impeachment trial,” Luistro told reporters.

“Attorney Jay Tolosa is not only a legal spokesperson, soon he will be entering his appearance as well as one of the private prosecutors,” Luistro said. “So indeed, he will be participating actively in the trial.”

Tolosa thanked the prosecution panel for the opportunity to join the case, describing the impeachment proceedings as an important constitutional process.

“As we all know, the impeachment is pivotal constitutional proceeding. In fact, it's one of the most important accountability mechanisms for public officials under the constitution. So as a trial lawyer, I found it to be a meaningful opportunity to place my experience in the service of that process,” Tolosa said during the briefing.

He added that part of his role would be helping keep the public informed as the proceedings move forward.

“The main purpose, I guess, for me is since I will be actively participating in the trial as well and I'll be inside the courtroom if there are quick updates that I need to communicate to the public and answer questions that you may have, I'll be available and provide that information to you,” he said.

Tolosa clarified that while he will take on spokesperson duties, the panel's primary spokespersons remain Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong and Kabataan Party-list Representative Renee Co.

“So for now, as mentioned by Cong. Jinky, I will focus on acting as a spokesperson. But of course, the main spokesperson will still be Congressmen Adiong and Co,” Tolosa said.

A respected figure in the legal community, Tolosa is the founding and managing partner of Tolosa Lim & Chua Law Firm and heads its Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. He brings more than 17 years of courtroom and litigation experience, having handled major civil, criminal, constitutional, administrative, and regulatory cases.

Throughout his career, he has represented corporate executives, industry leaders, and public officials, including senators, Cabinet members, and local government officials. His legal work has spanned sectors such as energy, telecommunications, aviation, banking, construction, mining, and public utilities.

Before establishing his own firm, Tolosa worked as a senior associate at ACCRALAW and later served as legal counsel for both a multinational corporation and a regional business conglomerate.

He has also received recognition from several legal publications, including Asia Law Profiles and Legal 500 Asia Pacific, and was honored with the Outstanding Thomasian Award by the University of Santo Tomas Law Alumni Foundation.

Tolosa joins a growing team of private prosecutors assisting the House prosecution panel in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte. Earlier, the panel announced the appointment of 10 private lawyers who will help prepare and present the case.

The Senate impeachment court is currently conducting pre-trial proceedings, including the marking of evidence and the resolution of procedural issues, before the formal trial begins.