Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - At least 10 private prosecutors will assist the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.Lead House Impeachment Prosecutor Gerville Luistro named on Thursday the “first batch” of private prosecutors, whose entry of appearance will be filed before the Senate Impeachment Court on Monday.Among them are Kapunan and Castillo Law’s founder and senior partner, Atty. Lorna Kapunan, SALiGAL Law’s managing partner, Atty. Amando Ligutan, and PECABAR Law’s managing partner Atty. Marforth Fua. Fua previously served as Assistant Presidential Legal Counsel to Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under the late Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-may-start-july-6-1040">&#x27;Forthwith&#x27;: Sara Duterte impeachment trial may start July 6, says Tulfo</a></div>“In my 48 years as lawyer, this probably is what we call payback time… I’ve committed my time and my law firm’s time to assisting the private prosecutors here in their very worthwhile cause, which is the issue of public accountability,” Kapunan said.“If we can send to jail somebody for pocketing P5,000 for 11 years, why can’t we remove from office the sitting Vice President for misusing millions of pesos of public funds? We are here because we are advocates of the rule of law,” Ligutan added.“As vanguards of the Constitution, we see to it that the Constitutional process, as mandated in the Constitution is followed through the letter,” Fua said.The seven other private prosecutors are also from PECABAR Law and Kapunan and Castillo Law. They are:ATTY. JAMES BRYAN IBRAHIM ALIH, PECABAR LAWATTY. ERWIN MATIB, PECABAR LAWATTY. JUSTINE ANNE LAMARCA, PECABARATTY. SONYA MARGARITA BENEMERITO-CASTILLO- KAPUNAN AND CASTILLO LAWATTY. DEANNA MELISSA LORENZO-SINGIAN- KAPUNAN AND CASTILLO LAWATTY. LINO CHRIS KAPUNAN- KAPUNAN AND CASTILLO LAWATTY. BETTINA ZAMORA- KAPUNAN AND CASTILLO LAW<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/23/sara-duterte-answers-trillanes-amlc-impeachment-1311">Sara Duterte says &#x27;every cent&#x27; of wealth from legitimate source</a></div><div> </div><div>NOT &#x27;MALACANANG PROSECUTORS&#x27;</div>Despite PECABAR previous links to the Marcoses, Fua asserted that the first family has nothing to do with their decision to assist the House prosecution panel in Duterte’s impeachment trial.“We cannot really hide our identity because PECABAR, really, since the time of President Marcos Sr., is closely associated really with the Marcoses.But this, it is the House that enlisted our support, not the President or not anyone from the First Family… But as you can see, me and Dean Diokno are previously, we are adversaries in court, but now, we are here together with the common cause… It is a purely professional engagement,” he said.The lead House prosecutor and other private prosecutors also vouched for the independence of the private prosecutors from PECABAR Law.“This is their independent decision to help the public prosecutors… We want to make it clear, ang pagpili po ng private prosecutors is exclusive decision ng 11 House prosecutors. It is us, who decide kung sino ang tutulong sa amin na private prosecutors and as they have said, we are not receiving instruction from anyone,” Luistro said.“We are vouching on the credibility, the professionalism and most importantly, yung independence ng ating mga kasamahan from PECABAR. Whatever their past political affiliation, they have nothing to do on the task at hand,” Ligutan added.&quot;I never worked with Malacanang… We do not receive instructions from anyone, whether from the House, whether from the Senate, whether from Malacanang… Sasabihin nila na Malacanang ang private prosecutors ay mag-isip-isip sila. Magaling rin kami mag-file ng cyber libel complaint,” Kapunan warned.<div> </div><div>&#x27;BUBBLE BATH&#x27;</div>Kapunan, meanwhile, criticized Duterte&#x27;s Answer to the Articles of Impeachment, which called for a dismissal of the case.She said it does not seem to reflect the Vice President’s previous statement of wanting a “bloodbath” in her impeachment trial.“Kung mayroon kang ebidensya, ba&#x27;t ka takot na sagutin sa answer? I would have thought that the Vice President was more courageous and more transparent since sinabi ng kanyang mga spokesperson at defense team na readyng-ready na sila,” Kapunan said.“At maalala natin ang sinabi niya noon… mayroon daw bloodbath na mangyayari. Saan ang bloodbath na ‘yon? Nakikita ko, personally, bubble bath ‘yan, hindi bloodbath,” she added.Asked whether private prosecutors are worried about being the target of fake news, they gave this response.“Bring it on… I (will) go to this impeachment trial with a clear conscience,” Kapunan said.“Knowing that we are on the right side of history makes all of the hardship, all of the difficulties… worth it,” Ligutan answered.“We’re private individuals. We’re not even media savvy. Definitiely we’re scared, we’re worried about what will come after this, but I guess given the seriousness of the job or the task ahead, nakakatakot, pero hindi kami pwedeng maduwag. So itutuloy namin ito,” Alih, for his part, said.<div> </div><div>SECURITY THREAT</div>Luistro and Kapunan expressed concern over the reported security threats at the Senate. They called for the protection of those who will participate in the impeachment proceedings, including the witnesses, as well as the protection of documents/evidence submitted to the Senate Impeachment Court. “The (House) leadership actually initiated the communication already about providing the necessary security to all the prosecutors considering the report of the NBI, the hacking of the Senate official website... Apart from this, we express likewise our concern in securing as well our witnesses and the evidence to be presented. And there are ongoing communications already in order to address that,” Luistro said.“Let us look into this and make sure na ligtas, safe and secured ang premises ng Senate. If this is connected to the impeachment trial, then we have more reason to make sure that this will be addressed, because this is a very significant process…. Whether connected or not, sana ay tutukan po ito ng ating mga katuwang sa paglilikod mula sa law enforcement agency,” she added.“We have to safeguard our evidence… Most of our documentary evidence has been transmitted to the Senate,” Kapunan added.The House prosecution, meanwhile, expressed faith and confidence on the process, whoever presides over the impeachment trial. Luistro issued the statement when asked about the possibility of Sen. Francis Escudero presiding over the trial. Escudero was the presiding officer in the 19th Congress Senate Impeachment Court when the trial faced delays, and the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte were eventually archived, following a Supreme Court ruling..Luistro said Escudero should not be judged based on that.“The circumstances surrounding the first impeachment back in 19 Congress were entirely different in the circumstances surrounding the second impeachment. So, if indeed Sen. Chiz Escudero would be designated as the presiding officer, let us not judge him on the basis of what happened to the first impeachment back in 19th Congress,” she explained.On the threshold for getting a conviction in the impeachment trial, Luistro said the Constitution only mentions 2/3 of all senators, not 2/3 of 24 senators. She believes that the threshold remains at 16 of all 24 senators “is subject to debate”.“Kung makaka-attend, kung makaka-participate, kung makakaboto, then you are representing inetrest of the Filipino people. But if you are beyond the coercive means, and as a matter of fact, hindi ka nga nag-attend, hindi ka nga bumoto, why will you be considered for the purpose of determining required votes for the purpose of conviction?” Luistro explained.“What Constitution provides is 2/3 of all the senators. It used “all”. It did not use “24”. It is important to hear as well what the Supreme Court will say about this,” she added.“It’s very similar to ‘yung question doon sa quorum. Kung dati ang pananaw ng karamihan ay 13, kinlaro na ‘yan ng Supreme Court that it could be less than 13, depending on how many senators are within the coercive reach of the Senate. Whether that will also apply to the imepachment court ay hindi pa ‘yan nase-settle ng jurisprudence,” House Impeachment Prosecutor and Akbayan Party List Rep. Chel Diokno said.On claims that the lower chamber is prioritizing the impeachment trial over assisting earthquake victims, Diokno and Luistro said the 11 House prosecutors are among the 139 lawmakers, who contributed to relief drive efforts. Collections from House members have exceeded P9 million.

At least 10 private prosecutors will assist the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

At least 10 private prosecutors will assist the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Who are the private prosecutors in Sara Duterte's impeachment trial?

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Who are the private prosecutors in Sara Duterte's impeachment trial?

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 11, 2026 05:20 PM PHT

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Sara Duterte

impeachment

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