The outspoken and media-savvy veteran trial lawyer Lorna Kapunan leads the group of private prosecutors who will assist the House prosecution team in securing a conviction against impeachment respondent Vice President Sara Duterte.

Kapunan and the rest of the 10 volunteer private prosecutors--the first batch, at least--were introduced in a press conference on Thursday, June 11 by House prosecution team leader Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro.

Joining Kapunan were private prosecutors from established litigation firms, namely Sonya Margarita Benemerito-Castillo, Deanna Melissa Lorenzo-Singian, Lino Chris Kapunan, and Bettina Zamora of Kapunan & Castillo Law Offices; Amando Virgil Ligutan of SALiGAL Law; and Marforth Fua, Erwin Matib, Justine Anne Lamarca, and James Bryan Ibrahim Alih of PECABAR Law.

Luistro said they offered their services "pro bono", or for free.

"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 (Many thanks to all the private lawyers for standing with the House of Representatives. They are pro bono. Their support alongside the House of Representatives is voluntary) because they believe in the mandate of the Constitution for accountability," she said.

"That is for us a validation that we are in the right position of Philippine history," noted the House Committee on Justice chairperson.

"They will be filing their entry of appearance...on Monday [June 15], that is simultaneously the deadline for the filing of pre-trial brief," Luistro said.

Kapunan, senior partner and founder of Kapunan & Castillo Law Offices, brings to the prosecution panel nearly five decades of law practice across criminal litigation, corporate law, intellectual property, family law, commercial transactions, international humanitarian law and public interest advocacy.

Widely known for handling high-profile cases and for her work on women’s and children’s rights, environmental protection, public accountability and civic causes, Kapunan adds both courtroom weight and public stature to the private prosecution team.

Her law practice has covered some of the most closely watched disputes in the country, while her broader legal work has placed her in the fields of corporate governance, arts and culture, humanitarian law, intellectual property and rights-based advocacy.

Last May 11, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to impeach Vice President Duterte for the second time in two years. The nominal vote result was 257-25-9 (yes-no-abstain), which some 80 percent of the chamber's membership affirming the impeachment.

The actual hearings of the Senate impeachment trial is set to begin on July 6. The proceedings will decide whether or not Duterte will remain in office and whether or not she may still hold public office in the future.

Joining Kapunan from the Kapunan & Castillo Law Offices are senior partner Castillo, junior partner Singian, managing partner Lino Chris Kapunan and co-managing partner Zamora.

Castillo has handled litigation, labor, family, criminal, intellectual property, immigration and land registration matters, while Lorenzo-Singian’s practice covers litigation, family and estate law, corporate law, civil and commercial law, arbitration, environmental law and labor law.

Lino Chris Kapunan specializes in civil, criminal, corporate and intellectual property litigation, while Zamora’s practice includes civil and criminal litigation, family and estate law, environmental law and labor law.

Also entering appearance is Ligutan, managing partner of Cebu-based SALiGAL Law and lead counsel of the complianants in one of the four impeachment complaint filed against Duterte this year.

Ligutan, a seasoned court litigator and law professor, has handled high-profile cases and teaches law at the University of the Philippines College of Law, University of San Jose-Recoletos School of Law and University of Cebu School of Law.

PECABAR Law, formerly Ponce Enrile Reyes & Manalastas, is fielding managing partner Fua, Matib, Lamarca and Alih in the impeachment trial.

Fua, an eighth-placer in the 2007 Bar examinations, has spent his career in litigation and became PECABAR Law’s managing partner in 2023 after rising through the ranks of the firm.

Matib brings experience in mediation, arbitration and litigation, including complex criminal cases involving graft and corruption, bank fraud and other white-collar offenses.

Lamarca heads PECABAR Law’s Litigation and Retainer Departments and has represented clients in criminal, civil, commercial and family law disputes.

Alih is part of the firm’s Litigation Department, focusing on criminal and civil litigation, including complex cases involving fraud, graft and corruption.

Vice President Duterte's conviction via impeachment trial is being sought over her offices' alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds; untruthful declarations in the filing of her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth; unexplained wealth; and death threats to President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.

“I think in my 48 years as a lawyer, this probably is what we call payback time,” Kapunan said in a press conference regarding her decision to take on the role of private prosecutor.

“This is where very serious legal issues are concerned because they constitute articles of impeachment against a very high official. And that is why I have committed my time and my law firm’s time to assisting the public prosecutors here in their very worthwhile cause which is the issue of public accountability,” she added.

Kapunan said their involvement in the high-stakes case wasn't about individual recognition but about defending the constitutional principle that public officials were answerable to the people.

“This is not about us public and private prosecutors. This is about all of you, this is about the country, this is about public officials being called to task on their accountability, to the Constitution, and ultimately to the people,” she said.

Asked how many more private prosecutors would join them in the coming days, Luistro answered: "Madami pa (A lot more)."

The House prosecution panel or public prosecutors in the case are composed of 11 lawyer-legislators.