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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Tongol denies 'lawyering' for VP Duterte: 'Nagpapaliwanag lang'

Tongol denies 'lawyering' for VP Duterte: 'Nagpapaliwanag lang'

Published Jun 21, 2025 12:58 pm  |  Updated Jun 21, 2025 01:47 pm

At A Glance

  • Senate impeachment court spokesman, lawyer Regie Tongol clarified that his recent suggestion for the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte to take certain legal action was not meant to defend any party, but to explain legal procedures based on his experience as a lawyer.
Senate impeachment court spokesman, lawyer Regie Tongol clarified that his recent suggestion for the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte to take certain legal action was not meant to defend any party, but to explain legal procedures based on his experience as a lawyer.
Senate impeachment court spokesman Atty. Regie Tongol (screenshot from Youtube/Senate of the Philippines)
Senate impeachment court spokesman Atty. Regie Tongol (screenshot from Youtube/Senate of the Philippines)
This came after House prosecution panel spokesman Antonio Bucoy questioned whether or not Tongol was lawyering for the Vice President, after Tongol said that Duterte’s legal team ought to file either a motion to dismiss the impeachment complaint against her or an answer with affirmative defenses questioning the jurisdiction of the impeachment court.
Tongol explained that his remarks were made in the context of a hypothetical legal scenario posed to him during a media briefing and were consistent with his role in helping the public understand the complex impeachment process.
The transcript is available and videos posted online for anyone to confirm and verify the context within which I made statements, Tongol said in a statement.
Matutuklasan ninyo na hindi pagaabogado sa isang panig o paglilito sa publiko ngunit pagsagot lamang sa 'scenario setting' na tanong sa akin nang naaayon sa aking karanasan sa litigation (You will find that these were not attempts to defend one side or mislead the public, but simply responses to 'scenario setting' questions based on my litigation experience), he added.
Tongol stressed that explaining the legal process was part of his duty not only as the court's spokesperson but also as a lawyer.
Ito ay bahagi ng ating tungkulin hindi lamang bilang spokesperson ngunit bilang abogado rin upang ipaliwanag ang legal proceedings sa lahat (This is part of our duty not only as a spokesperson but also as a lawyer, to explain the legal proceedings to everyone), he explained.
Because the whole process involves multiple legal steps that need to be explained to the public, he added.
Tongol reaffirmed the impartiality of the Senate impeachment court, and said it was committed to due process and fairness.
“The impeachment court operates independently of the parties and is committed to neutrality, fairness, and due process. Respect for the court is fundamental to democracy, so it is vital for the stability of this democracy for all to work together with mutual respect, for all to support this process, and for litigants to avoid unnecessary attacks that only serve to hinder our collective efforts to proceed with the impeachment process,” Tongol stated.

Related Tags

impeachment complaint impeachment court Vice President Sara Duterte regie tongol
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