Private prosecutor Atty. Amando Ligutan has stood by a social media post regarding courtroom rules, maintaining that misleading questions are strictly prohibited during trial proceedings despite criticism from defense attorneys in the Senate impeachment trial.
Speaking to reporters following Wednesday’s trial session, Ligutan rejected calls to delete the post, arguing that it contained basic legal facts rather than targeted attacks.
“Buburahin ko ba? Hindi po allowed ang misleading question. Hindi ko po yun buburahin kasi yun po yung nakasaad sa ating Rules of Court,” Ligutan said in an interview after Wednesday’s Senate impeachment trial.
“Buti sana kung I named somebody, buti sana if I said this is regarding this. Even that, no? Pwede pang i-argue wrong yan. Basahin nyo yung post,” he added.
Ligutan maintained that sharing general legal principles on social media falls within his personal rights and was done without ill intent.
“that’s part of my right as a human being, to post something na sa tingin ko ano yung nasusulat sa Rules of Court.”
“Walang bad faith, walang malice. It’s just like saying one plus one equals two,” he stressed. “At that particular time, inside the impeachment case. No misleading question is allowed. It’s as true as the sun rising from the east and setting in the west. One plus one equals two. There’s nothing illegal about it.”
The dispute originated from a courtroom exchange between opposing legal counsels during the cross-examination of COA auditor Xylene Mae Del Campo, who was testifying on alleged confidential fund mishandling.
Defense attorney Atty. Kristine Ferrer, representing Vice President Sara Duterte, clashed with private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan.
When Kapunan raised an objection stating misleading questions were prohibited during cross-examination, Ferrer countered that they were permitted.
Shortly after the exchange, Ligutan posted online that all lawyers and law students know that misleading questions are prohibited, even during cross-examination.
Prior to adjournment, lead defense counsel Atty. Sheila Sison addressed the court to clarify Ferrer’s earlier remarks, stating she meant leading questions—not misleading ones—were allowed. Sison strongly criticized Ligutan’s social media activity during an active proceeding.
“And yet we have a private prosecutor immediately taking to social media and posting this, implying something against the defense counsel. We will not have this,” Sison said.
“It is inappropriate to do that to a fellow member of the bar because even as we sit on the opposing side of this hall, we remain to be both members of the bar. And as officers of the court, we owe each other respect,” she added.
Sison characterized the real-time social media post as troubling and made in bad taste.
Lead House prosecutor and Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro requested that the court allow Ligutan to address the manifestation immediately.
However, presiding officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero deferred the response, assuring that Ligutan will be granted an opportunity to formally address the issue on Monday, August 17, before the court renders a decision on the matter.