MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has come to the defense of her lead impeachment lawyer, Atty. Sheila Sison, after House private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan accused her of bullying the prosecution team during the ongoing Senate impeachment trial.

In a statement on Wednesday, October 14, Duterte criticized Kapunan's characterization of her lawyer, comparing Sison's position to that of David confronting Goliath.

“Lorna Kapunan calling a defense counsel a bully is like calling David the aggressor against Goliath,” Duterte said.

The Vice President argued that portraying a defense lawyer as the aggressor unfairly casts someone carrying out a legal responsibility in a negative light.

She also described the impeachment proceedings as an unequal political contest, accusing those behind the case of using their power against her defense team.

Duterte highlights defense team's sacrifices

Duterte emphasized that Sison and the other members of her legal team have devoted considerable time and effort to preparing for the impeachment proceedings.

According to the Vice President, the defense team has been working on the case since 2023, spending long hours examining documents and developing their legal arguments.

She said their preparations have required personal sacrifices, including time away from their families and sleepless nights.

Duterte also questioned why her lawyer was being linked to what she described as political transactions, maintaining that Sison's responsibility was simply to represent her client.

For the Vice President, criticizing a defense counsel for challenging the prosecution's arguments undermines the lawyer's role in ensuring that her client receives a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations.

Kapunan accuses Sison of bullying prosecution

Duterte's statement came a day after Kapunan publicly criticized Sison's conduct during the impeachment proceedings.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, October 13, Kapunan accused the lead defense lawyer of repeatedly portraying Duterte's camp as a victim.

The private prosecutor particularly objected to Sison's use of terms such as “persecution,” “accused,” and “denial of due process” in her manifestations before the Senate impeachment court.

Kapunan also accused Sison of disrespecting the prosecution panel and the senator-judges by questioning the fairness and impartiality of the proceedings.

She maintained that lawyers should observe professional conduct when presenting arguments before the impeachment court.

Disagreement follows withdrawal of impeachment charges

The exchange between Duterte and Kapunan follows the Senate impeachment court's acceptance of the House prosecution panel's request to withdraw three of the four Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President on October 13.

The decision leaves Article II, involving allegations of unexplained wealth, as the sole remaining charge.

Sison earlier opposed the withdrawal, arguing that the prosecution had already publicly presented allegations and evidence under the three articles without giving the defense a full opportunity to challenge them during the trial.

The defense also raised concerns about the fairness of the move and warned of possible implications for the proceedings.

Kapunan, however, questioned why Duterte's lawyers opposed the withdrawal when it reduced the number of charges the Vice President would have to answer.

The impeachment trial is scheduled to resume on November 9, with the proceedings set to focus on the remaining allegations of unexplained wealth.

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