Joselito Malig

Who are the 26 prosecutors in Sara Duterte's impeachment trial?

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Standing on one side of the impeachment court, some members of the House and private lawyers will serve as prosecutors in the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte starting Monday.</p><p>There are 26 prosecutors in total so far, 11 of whom are House prosecutors and 15 are private prosecutors. </p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaUInddFLod/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A16575895.299999997%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>As the start of the awaited impeachment trial nears, find out more about the members of the prosecution panel and their role in how impeachment proceedings are taking shape. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/2/impeachment-prosecution-attends-mass-ahead-of-sara-duterte-trial-1508"><strong>&#x27;We pray for conviction&#x27;: Impeachment prosecution attends Mass ahead of Sara Duterte trial </strong></a> </div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WHO ARE THE HOUSE PROSECUTORS?</strong></div><p>At the helm is one of the seven district representatives, Gerville Luistro of the Batangas 2nd District.</p><p>Luistro, the lead prosecutor, is also the chairperson of the House Committee on Justice, which discussed impeachment complaints against Duterte. </p><p>Bukidnon 2nd District Representative Jonathan Keith Flores is the sole public prosecutor who abstained when the House of Representatives voted on the articles of impeachment. </p><p>Flores earlier admitted that this has to do with his constituents.</p><p>“That played a factor of my decision on abstaining. But it wasn’t because of the articles of impeachment. I could not in good conscience vote against the articles of impeachment because I was present all along when the Committee on Justice heard the evidence presented… It cannot be denied that there are a lot of people in Mindanao who are actually for the vice president,” Flores said during a press conference back in May. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/29/defense-prosecution-share-17-witnesses-in-sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-2207"><strong>Defense, prosecution share 17 witnesses in Sara Duterte impeachment trial</strong></a></div><p>But for one public prosecutor, an impeachment trial is nothing new.  </p><p>Dinagat Islands Representative Kaka Bag-ao previously served as a prosecutor when former Chief Justice Renato Corona was tried in 2012.</p><p>Cagayan de Oro 1st District Representative Lordan Suan is one of three House prosecutors representing districts in Mindanao. </p><p>Back in January 2022, Suan posted a photo with Duterte online with the hashtag “SaraAll.” </p><p>Months later, Duterte was elected as vice president.  </p><p>But Suan is also one of the 257 House lawmakers who voted to impeach Duterte back in May.</p><p>ABS-CBN News has reached out to Suan for comment on his post but has yet to receive a reply.</p><p>Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua led the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability during the 19th Congress.</p><p>In this panel’s hearings, the allegations of Duterte misusing funds were tackled. </p><p>Also on the House prosecution panel are San Juan Representative Ysabel Zamora and Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/29/madriaga-among-25-witnesses-eyed-by-prosecution-in-vp-duterte-impeachment-trial-1739"><strong>Madriaga among 25 witnesses eyed by prosecution in VP Duterte impeachment trial </strong></a> </div><p>There are four party-list representatives in the prosecution panel, including ML Representative Leila de Lima, who endorsed the impeachment complaints against the vice president.  </p><p>According to De Lima, a complaint she endorsed from this year was an “improved version” of the articles of impeachment transmitted previously.</p><p>“It&#x27;s an improved version actually, if I must say that it&#x27;s an improved version nung mismo na mga articles of impeachment na pinadala noon as endorsed–signed and endorsed by more than one-third of the members of the House,” De Lima told reporters in February.</p><p>Akbayan party-list Representative Chel Diokno is a human rights lawyer who headed the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and served as an arbitrator for the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.  </p><p>They are joined by 1-Rider party-list Representative Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, who has one year of elective office to his name, and Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon, who has four years.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/3/house-impeachment-prosecutor-hopes-sara-duterte-will-appear-in-trial-1745"><strong>House impeachment prosecutor hopes Sara Duterte will appear in trial </strong></a> </div><p>Each article of impeachment has prosecutors assigned to it, with Chua standing as the lead prosecutor for the alleged misuse of confidential funds. </p><p>On the alleged unexplained wealth and undeclared assets, Ridon is the lead prosecutor and Diokno is the second lead prosecutor. </p><p>Under lead prosecutor Flores and second lead prosecutor Gutierrez is supposed bribery within the Department of Education (DepEd).  </p><p>And for the fourth article, accusations of grave threats, Defensor is lead prosecutor, with De Lima as the second lead. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>WHO ARE THE PRIVATE PROSECUTORS? </strong></div><p>The group of private prosecutors got a boost before June ended, having gone from 11 to 15 members. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/3/impeachment-court-issues-directive-on-vp-sara-appearance-in-trial-1108"><strong>Impeachment court directs Sara Duterte to appear ‘in person or through counsel’ at July 6 trial</strong></a></div><p>Some previously served in government, including Attorney Marforth Fua and Attorney Lorna Kapunan, who are former assistant presidential legal counsels.  </p><p>Attorney Theodore Te previously served as Supreme Court spokesperson, and Sonya Benemerito-Castillo is a former court attorney.</p><p>This is not the first time Attorney Mae Divinagracia has made the news, having served as the legal counsel for the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral amid allegations of involvement in flood control corruption.</p><p>Attorney Amando Ligutan had a hand in the impeachment proceedings of the vice president early on, having been the legal counsel in the impeachment complaints filed against Duterte in 2024 and 2026. </p><p>Some private prosecutors come from the same law firm, Kapunan &amp; Castillo Law Offices– Kapunan, Attorney Sonya Margarita Benemerito-Castillo, Attorney Deanna Melissa Lorenzo-Singian, Attorney Lino Chris Kapunan, and Attorney Bettina Zamora. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/3/gatchalian-says-to-preside-over-sara-duterte-trial-1115"><strong>Gatchalian says to preside over Sara Duterte trial </strong></a> </div><p>Four of them are from PECABAR Law, namely Fua, Attorney Erwin Matib, Attorney Justine Anne Lamarca, and Attorney James Bryan Ibrahim Alih.</p><p>Attorneys Reynaldo Robles and Arnold Labay are both from Chan Robles &amp; Associates.</p><p>“We volunteered because we want to help out in the process of accountability ordained in the constitution,” Robles said during a press conference introducing the second batch of private prosecutors last month. </p><p>The prosecution panel has four spokespersons, one of whom is a private prosecutor, Attorney Benjamin Tolosa Jr.  </p><p>Former Surigao del Norte Representative Ace Barbers is both a spokesperson and an impeachment adviser. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/senate-very-prepared-for-sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-gatchalian-1445"><strong>Senate &#x27;very prepared&#x27; for Sara Duterte impeachment trial on July 6 – Gatchalian</strong></a></div><p>The two other spokespersons are House lawmakers, namely Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong and Kabataan party-list Representative Renee Co. </p><p>Diokno earlier stressed the number of prosecutors is not an indication that they are unprepared for trial.</p><p>Instead, it is a matter of different roles for the prosecution and the defense, Diokno said.</p><p>“Ang prosecution kasi para kang nagpapatayo ng bahay. Ang prosecution ang may burden to establish the basis for the charges. Ang defense naman, ang tungkulin nila ay i-demolish ‘yung bahay… Sa mga magsasabi na hindi handa ang prosecution kaya napakarami ang kinukuha nilang abogado, hindi po totoo ‘yun. Talagang nagkakaiba lang ang trabaho ng prosecution sa trabaho ng defense,” Diokno said. </p>

<p>Standing on one side of the impeachment court, some members of the House and private lawyers will serve as prosecutors in the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte starting Monday.</p>

Standing on one side of the impeachment court, some members of the House and private lawyers will serve as prosecutors in the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte starting Monday.