Prominent trial lawyer Lorna Kapunan has been selected to head a team of 10 volunteer private prosecutors assisting the House of Representatives in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
House prosecution team leader and Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro introduced the legal panel on Thursday, June 11. Composed of lawyers from top-tier firms such as Kapunan & Castillo, SALiGAL Law, and PECABAR Law, the group has committed to working entirely pro bono.
“Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng mga private lawyers for standing with the House of Representatives. Pro bono po sila. Voluntary po ang pagtindig nila kasama ang House of Representatives because they believe in the mandate of the Constitution for accountability,” Luistro stated.
Luistro emphasized that the collaboration demonstrates the House’s commitment to fulfilling its constitutional obligations. The private prosecutors are scheduled to submit their formal entry of appearance on Monday, June 15, alongside the deadline for pre-trial briefs.
An Experienced Legal Team
Kapunan, who boasts nearly 50 years of experience in high-profile criminal cases and public interest law, anchors the high-profile team. She is joined by fellow attorneys from her firm, including Sonya Margarita Benemerito-Castillo, Deanna Melissa Lorenzo-Singian, Lino Chris Kapunan, and Bettina Zamora.
The panel also features Amando Virgil Ligutan of the Cebu-based SALiGAL Law, an experienced litigator and law professor who previously represented complainants in an earlier impeachment filing against Duterte.
Completing the roster are PECABAR Law managing partner Marforth Fua, alongside lawyers Erwin Matib, Justine Anne Lamarca, and James Bryan Ibrahim Alih, all specialists in white-collar crime, graft, and complex litigation.
Overview of the Impeachment
The impending Senate trial, slated to begin on July 6, follows a definitive May 11 vote where roughly 80 percent of House members backed the Vice President’s impeachment.
The articles of impeachment against Duterte are built on several severe allegations:
- The suspected misappropriation of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds.
- Inaccuracies and false declarations within her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
- Accumulation of unexplained wealth.
- Purported death threats directed at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The verdict of the Senate trial will decide whether Duterte is removed from the vice presidency and permanently disqualified from holding public office.