Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to the media, December 11, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED)</strong> — Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s legal team for impeachment proceedings against her at the House include lawyers from the Fortun, Narvasa and Salazar firm as well as two lawyers who have served as her spokespersons.</p><p>The team submitted their Appearance Ad Cautelam (for caution) on March 9.</p><div><strong></strong><strong></strong><br/><strong>Signatories from Fortun, Narvasa and Salazar are:</strong></div><ul><li><strong></strong>Philip Sigfrid Fortun</li><li><strong></strong>Gregorio Narvasa II</li><li>Sheila Sison</li><li>Carlo Joaquin Narvasa</li><li>Justin Nicol Gular</li><li>David Ronell Golla VII</li><li>Lindon Miguel Bacquel</li><li>Karol Grace Oroceo</li><li>Clarlaine Radoc</li><li>Francesca Marie Flores</li><li>Miguel Carlos Fernandez</li></ul><div><br/></div><p>Also tapped to represent Duterte at the House proceedings are her spokesperson Michael Poa and Reynold Munsayac, her former spokesperson and currently executive director of her father&#x27;s PDP Laban party.</p><p>Also in the team are lawyers Mark Vinluan, Ralph Bodota, and Roberto Batungbacal.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/9/nup-to-house-panel-present-stronger-impeachment-case-vs-vp-duterte-1235"><strong>NUP to House panel: Present &#x27;stronger&#x27; impeachment case vs VP Duterte<br/></strong></a></div><p>“The undersigned Firm and lawyers respectfully enter their appearance as counsel for Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte without waiving any jurisdictional and other objections to these proceedinga dn her right to avail of the approproate legal remedies therefor,” they said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RIDON FLAGS POTENTIAL &#x27;CONFLICT OF INTEREST&#x27;</strong></div><p>Bicol Saro Party-List Rep. Terry Ridon, a member of the justice committee, has raised concerns over what he said is a potential conflict of interest for Poa and Munsayac. </p><p>He said that if they have “first-hand knowledge of the transactions or decisions under scrutiny, they may eventually have to testify under oath.”</p><p>He said that as former Department of Education spokesperson, Poa had “repeatedly explained and defended the use of confidential funds before the public and the media&quot;, adding the lawyer may have information relevant to the impeachment complaints against Duterte. </p><p>Ridon raised a similar concern on Munsayac, who was OVP spokesperson and a former assistant secretary at DepEd.</p><p>“If there were questions regarding the preparation of documents, compliance with auditing rules, or the legal justification for certain transactions, individuals involved in those processes could be asked to testify,” Ridon said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/4/house-panel-sara-duterte-impeachment-complaint-sufficient-in-substance-1403"><strong>House panel: Sara Duterte impeachment complaints ‘sufficient in substance’<br/></strong></a></div><p>“If the impeachment proceedings determine that Mr. Poa or Mr. Munsayac has material knowledge relevant to the charges, the proper course would be for them to testify as witnesses rather than serve as counsel,&quot; he said, adding the two may have information that &quot;could be crucial in establishing the full picture of what transpired.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LAWYER-CLIENT PRIVILEGE HAS LIMITS</strong></div><p>He said that while lawyer-client privilege does exist, but there are limits to that. </p><p>&quot;[O]n factual questions related to their work at the OVP and to their work at the Department of Education, I don&#x27;t think that privilege can in fact be invoked even if they present themselves as lawyers of the vice president,&quot; Ridon noted.</p><p>He said that the committee will, &quot;at the very least&quot;, ask the two lawyers to explain their role in the proceedings.  </p><p>“And secondly, what will their position be if they will be invited as witnesses, resource persons in the proceedings? Kasi, obviously, dalawa magkaibang papel po ito,” he said.</p><p>He added the panel has yet to receive Duterte&#x27;s answer to the impeachment complaints against her, adding it will wait until Monday.</p><p>Duterte has been facing questions on her office&#x27;s use of confidential funds allocated to the OVP and the DepEd in 2022 and 2023. </p><p>She has denied allegations of wrongdoing and has said these are related to her planned presidential run in 2028.</p>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte's legal team for impeachment proceedings against her at the House include lawyers from the Fortun, Narvasa and Salazar firm as well as two lawyers who have served as her spokespersons.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte's legal team for impeachment proceedings against her at the House include lawyers from the Fortun, Narvasa and Salazar firm as well as two lawyers who have served as her spokespersons.

VP Duterte’s lawyers enter appearance before House justice panel

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VP Duterte’s lawyers enter appearance before House justice panel

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 11, 2026 05:11 PM PHT

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Updated March 11, 2026 06:45 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

Sara Duterte

Impeachment

Confidential Funds

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