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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House prosecutors outclassed by VP Duterte defense team? 'Fake news,' says Luistro

House prosecutors outclassed by VP Duterte defense team? 'Fake news,' says Luistro

Published Jun 22, 2026 12:51 pm  |  Updated Jun 22, 2026 01:39 pm

At A Glance

  • Lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro branded as fake news claims that the House panel was outclassed by Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team during the June 18 pre‑trial conference.
  • Luistro and Rep. Leila de Lima warned the public against disinformation and urged vigilance as more fake news and distortions are expected to circulate during the impeachment proceedings.
  • Both lawmakers stressed that the prosecution represents the Filipino people's interests and cautioned that attempts to undermine the trial through misinformation could intensify once hearings begin.
Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro (PPAB)
Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro (PPAB)


Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro has branded as "fake news" the reports that the House prosecution panel has been outclassed by Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team in the ongoing impeachment pre-trial proceedings.
“That is not true. I charge it to fake news,” Luistro, the lead prosecutor, said during a press conference Monday, June 22 at the Senate, the venue of the pre-trial conferences (PTC).
Luistro was reacting to social media posts and news items which claimed that the solon- prosecutors were "eaten alive" by Duterte’s defense lawyers during the June 18 PTC, which served as precursor to the actual Senate impeachment trial.
The Batangueña urged the public to be cautious about narratives circulating online as the impeachment proceedings move toward trial.
“The people should become very cautious now in watching from social media. We should be careful in deciphering what is correct and what is false,” she said.
There was also a scheduled PTC at the Senate in Pasay City on Monday. The proceedings are being held behind closed doors.
Not one to back down from a verbal tussle, Luistro said she remains mindful that the prosecution panel represents the interests of the Filipino people in their quest to convict the respondent, Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Of course, I am conscious that I am representing the interests of the sovereign Filipino people. Hindi po ako papayag na lamunin ng buhay ang laban ng sambayanang Pilipino (I won't allow the Filipino people's fight to get eaten alive),” she said.
More fake news to come?
Another member of the House prosecution team, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, said she expects more such fake news to come out in the coming weeks.
“As these proceedings progress, we can expect more of that, more of disinformation, more of fake news, more of factual distortions, spins of the real stories, of the things that happen as the proceedings progress, lalo na pagdating natin sa trial proper,” she said during the same press briefing.
De Lima urged both the public and the media to be vigilant in evaluating information related to the impeachment case, particularly those circulating on social media.
“So we just have to be very circumspect and careful about receiving things and in our reporting,” said the former senator and Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary.
De Lima notes that the impeachment trial is among the most closely watched political and constitutional proceedings in the country, making it susceptible to attempts to shape public opinion through misinformation.
“This is a highly charged event, of course, in the country,” she said.
“Certain players might be doing things that will again try to undermine especially the cause of the prosecution,” De Lima warned the public.

Related Tags

fake news Leila de Lima Prosecution panel defense Gerville \"Jinky Bitrics\" Luistro IMPEACHMENT Senate Pre-trial conference
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