Marilyn Cahatol

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ABS-CBN Research and Verification Unit

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783332590588image (4).png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Atty. Sheila Sison delivers her opening statement during the first day of the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The first day of the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte introduced her lead defense counsel, Atty. Sheila Sison, who stood before the senator-judges and questioned the constitutionality of the impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives. </p><p>Sison is a partner at the Fortun, Narvasa &amp; Salazar Law Offices, where most of Duterte’s 16-member defense team are also affiliated. </p><div><a href="http://v">Who will defend VP Sara in the impeachment trial? Get to know her lawyers</a></div><p>The law firm described Sison as a “fierce litigator,” who “[takes] on battles no ordinary-caliber lawyer would dare handle.” The FNS Law firm said Sison holds the record of being the firm’s Lawyer of the Year for five consecutive years from 2015 to 2019. </p><p>A new name to the public’s ears, Sison has little to no record of high-profile defense as well as political and social ties over her 12 years of legal background.</p><p>Her law firm said Sison, who specializes in criminal litigation, has successfully defended clients in numerous cases before the Sandiganbayan.</p><p>She has experience in civil litigation, family law, appellate practice, labor law, mining law, and corporate law.  </p><p>Sison was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2014, and joined the Fortun, Narvasa &amp; Salazar Law Offices one year later. Before this, she was a member of the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. </p><p>Her legal expertise is in family and estates; labor; litigation and dispute resolution; and projects, mining, and natural resources. </p><p>Sison earned her bachelor’s degree in communication arts major in writing from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños. </p><p>She studied law at the San Sebastian Recoletos-Manila as a consistent Dean’s Lister and eventually graduated as a class valedictorian.</p><p>Duterte’s impeachment trial will proceed on July 7, 2 p.m.</p><p>The vice president is facing allegations of misusing her P612.5 million confidential funds, issuing grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., amassing unexplained wealth, and bribing government officials.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/6/in-opening-statement-defense-raises-sc-ruling-vs-duterte-impeachment-in-2025-1701">In opening statement, defense raises SC ruling vs Duterte impeachment in 2025</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WiGDG90zvls?si=r8ejakDeVEefT1LE" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The law firm described Sison as a “fierce litigator,” who “[takes] on battles no ordinary-caliber lawyer would dare handle.”</p>

The law firm described Sison as a “fierce litigator,” who “[takes] on battles no ordinary-caliber lawyer would dare handle.”

PROFILE: Who is Duterte’s lead defense counsel Sheila Sison?

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PROFILE: Who is Duterte’s lead defense counsel Sheila Sison?

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News,

ABS-CBN Research and Verification Unit

Published July 06, 2026 06:22 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

impeachment

Sheila Sison

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