House prosecutor Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno has expressed concern that the ongoing Senate impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte may be teaching the wrong things to law students.

Diokno had this to say following day 15 of the nationally-televised trial last Aug. 12, which was marked by supposed lapses in decorum.

"Minsan ako ay nalulungkot kasi baka maisip ko minsan na iba ‘yung natututunan ng ating mga law students ‘pag pinapanood nila ‘yung impeachment proceedings,” he said.

(Sometimes I feel sad because I think our law students may be learning something different when they watch the impeachment proceedings.)

“Gusto ko rin malaman ng lahat ng legal community (I want the entire legal community to know), especially our young law students and lawyers, what is proper and what is improper during a court proceeding,” said experienced litigator of over three decades.

Diokno says respect toward all parties is the utmost thing that must be observed in the courtroom.

“Ang pinaka-essence ng court decorum talaga ay respeto. Respeto sa judge, respeto sa kalaban (The true essence of court decorum is respect. Respect for the judge, respect for the opponent). At that is what we are hoping and insisting will happen in this impeachment case,” he noted.

Curiously, there was a moment in the Aug. 12 hearing when one of Vice President Duterte's defense lawyers, Kristine Ferrer, sought "kindness” from the prosecution. But this was after she herself engaged in a heated exchange with prosecutor Lorna Kapunan.

Diokno cited raising one’s voice against opposing counsel as an example of unnecessary conduct.

“Magkalaban kayo sa court tapos tataasan ka ng boses ng kalaban mo (You are opponents in court and then your opponent raises their voice at you). I don’t think that’s even necessary in court,” he said, without mentioning anybody in particular

“Ang kailangan lang matibay, solid, ang argumento mo. Hindi naman pataasan ng boses ang court hearing,” Diokno pointed out.

(What is needed is a strong, solid argument. A court hearing is not about raising voices.)

After all, he said judges decide based on the merits of an argument, not on who speaks louder.

Diokno also stressed the importance of allowing witnesses to finish answering questions without interruption, either during direct examination or cross-examination.

“We should never interrupt a witness while they are speaking,” he said.

“May tinanong ako sa witness, nagsasalita ang witness, hindi ko pwede siyang pigilan. Hintayin ko dapat out of respect ‘yung sasabihing kabuuan ng testigo, and then I can respond appropriately,” the solon-prosecutor explained.

(I asked a question to the witness, the witness is speaking, I cannot stop them. Out of respect I must wait for the witness to finish their statement, and then I can respond appropriately.)

Even when counsel believes a witness has given an improper answer, Diokno said the proper course is to wait until the witness finishes before asking the court to strike the statement from the record.

“These are the same things that we expect during the impeachment trial,” he said.