MANILA — The House prosecution panel unveiled a lineup of veteran litigators, former government lawyers, law firm partners, and legal academics who will serve as private prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, strengthening the team set to present the case before the Senate impeachment court.

Lead prosecutor and House Committee on Justice Chair Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro said the lawyers volunteered their services pro bono and will assist House prosecutors in trial preparation, including witness handling, evidence building, pleadings, and strategy.

“Today is a very important day for the country because finally, we will be introducing the first batch of the private prosecutors who will be assisting the House prosecutors. By first batch, it means that there will be subsequent batches,” Luistro said in a press conference.

The initial group is composed of lawyers from PECABAR Law, Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices, and SALiGAL Law, who have experience handling high-profile litigation, criminal prosecution, corporate disputes, arbitration, and complex commercial cases.

Among them is Marforth Fua, managing partner of PECABAR Law and former assistant presidential legal counsel under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.; Lorna Kapunan, founder and senior partner of Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices; and Cebu-based lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, managing partner of SALiGAL Law and senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Law.

Also joining the prosecution team are PECABAR partners Erwin Matib and Justine Anne Lamarca and senior associate James Bryan Ibrahim; Kapunan and Castillo senior partner Sonya Margarita Benemerito Castillo, junior partner Deanne Melissa Lorenzo-Singian, co-managing partner Bettina Zamora, and lawyer Lino Chris Kapunan.

The lawyers bring decades of combined experience in criminal litigation, anti-graft cases, white-collar crime, commercial disputes, labor law, family law, environmental law, arbitration, taxation, and corporate practice.

House prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno said the participation of private prosecutors follows a long-standing practice in major impeachment trials, noting that he also served as a volunteer prosecutor during the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada.

Diokno said the assistance of private lawyers will be crucial in preparing documentary evidence and witnesses for presentation before the Senate impeachment court.

“Hindi po madali ang trabaho ng isang prosecutor. Maraming kailangang gawin (the work of a prosecutor is not easy. There are a lot of things to do) in terms of witnesses, in terms of evidence, exhibits, making sure that all the evidence we present is admitted by the court,” Diokno said.

“It’s not exactly simple or easy. Kaya (That’s why) we really appreciate the help of our private prosecutors.”

Luistro said the private lawyers agreed to serve without compensation, citing their belief in accountability and constitutional duty.

“What is important today is to express to the public that the private lawyers who are with us share with the House prosecutors the cause of bringing this case to the impeachment trial and until the rendition of judgment,” she said.

“They believe in the mandate of transparency and accountability. They support the mandate of the Constitution, and that is the ultimate and sole reason why they are joining the public prosecutors in this impeachment trial.”

She stressed, however, that control of the case remains with the House prosecution panel.

“I want to make it clear that the lead and the one in control of the trial will still be the House prosecutors,” Luistro said.

“In other words, ang mga private prosecutors po na makakasama ng (the private prosecutors that will be with) House prosecutors will be assisting prosecutors. And pursuant to the rules, they will remain under the direct control and supervision of the House prosecutors.”

Diokno also emphasized that private prosecutors will operate under the supervision of the public prosecution team, in line with impeachment rules.

“As far as the rules are concerned, klaro naman (it’s clear), any and all private prosecutors are under the control and supervision of the public prosecutors, and that will be the role that we will maintain throughout the impeachment proceedings,” he said.