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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Lacson: 'Bopol' senator-judges dragging down VP impeachment trial discourse

Lacson: 'Bopol' senator-judges dragging down VP impeachment trial discourse

Published Jul 21, 2026 03:15 pm

At A Glance

  • Senator-judge Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Tuesday, July 21 criticized a fellow senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte for supposedly dragging down the level of discourse in the Impeachment Court.
Senator-judge Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday, July 21 criticized a fellow senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte for supposedly dragging down the level of discourse in the Impeachment Court.
Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson (Senate PRIB photo)
Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson (Senate PRIB photo)
Without naming names, Lacson in his post on X, said “Kapag magagaling ang mga abugado ng prosekusyon at depensa, masarap makinig; ang dami nating natutuhan. Ang problema, kapag may umentra na senator-judge na ‘bopol,’ nakaka-bobo naman (If the lawyers of the prosecution and defense are skilled, it’s nice to listen, because you learn so many things. The problem, however, is when a ’stupid’ senator-judge steps in. It becomes stupid).”
"Win some, lose some,” he said.Lacson, in a separate social media post, said he also finds it an “awkward and shameful” experience for a senator-judge to be lectured by a counsel during the course of a trial.
“I had attended many court trials especially during my law enforcement days. I never witnessed a counsel, either for the prosecution or defense lecture a judge on the Constitution, Rules of Court, and leading jurisprudence," he said. 

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Ping Lacson Senate impeachment court Duterte impeachment case 2026
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