Manila: House prosecution counsel Amando Virgil Ligutan on Wednesday defended his viral Facebook post, which prompted the Senate impeachment court to implement stricter guidelines on public statements related to Vice President Sara Z. Duterte's trial. Ligutan, citing his nearly two decades of experience as an educator, maintained that correcting a mistake is always justified, even during an ongoing hearing.
According to Philippines News Agency, Ligutan explained his reasoning behind the post, which was made during the August 12 hearing. He asserted that misleading questions are not allowed during cross-examination, a statement challenged by Duterte's defense team. Ligutan expressed concern that an open court statement implying the permissibility of misleading questions might go unaddressed, prompting his online clarification.
Ligutan emphasized his dual role as a lawyer and educator, stating, "Your Honors, yes, I am a lawyer, but more than just a lawyer, first and foremost, I am a teacher. Isa po akong guro. Usa ko ka maestro. And I am proud to be one." He stressed that teaching and correcting errors have no boundaries of place or time.
The controversy originated from an exchange between prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan and defense counsel Kristine Ferrer during the August 12 proceedings. Kapunan corrected herself from referring to leading questions to misleading questions, to which Ferrer responded that they were allowed. Ligutan's subsequent Facebook post declared that misleading questions are not permitted, even in cross-examination.
Lead defense counsel Shiela Sison later brought the post to the court's attention, arguing that Ferrer's comments were in the context of leading questions. Presiding Officer Sen. Francis 'Chiz' Escudero clarified that the transcript did not fully capture the overlapping voices during the exchange and reminded Ligutan of his obligations as counsel.
Escudero announced a clean slate for previous statements while warning of strict enforcement of restrictions on public discussion from Wednesday onwards.
In response, the House prosecution team, led by adviser and spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers, expressed respect for the court's ruling and pledged compliance with Rule 18 on public comments. Barbers emphasized the expectation for equal application of the rule to all parties, including Duterte.
Deputy Speaker Jefferson Khonghun highlighted the importance of fairness in implementing the rule, calling for scrutiny of statements from both the prosecution and defense, as well as the respondent, Vice President Duterte. Barbers assured that designated spokespersons would continue to communicate the proceedings to the public while adhering to the imposed restrictions.
