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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Napipikon na sila': Adiong details Kapunan's effect on Duterte camp

'Napipikon na sila': Adiong details Kapunan's effect on Duterte camp

Published Aug 21, 2026 11:18 am

At A Glance

  • Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said Vice President Sara Duterte's camp dislikes private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan because of her effectiveness in presenting witness testimonies that the defense cannot directly answer.
  • He noted that Kapunan strengthened the case against Duterte by eliciting key information, despite personal attacks labeling her the "Marites ng impeachment".
  • Adiong stressed that personal attacks do not address allegations of Duterte's alleged misuse of P612.5 million confidential funds.
Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (left), private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan (Facebook)
Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (left), private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan (Facebook)


Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong totally understands why the camp of impeachment trial respondent Vice President Sara Duterte hates private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan so much.
For one thing, Kapunan has been killing it--so to speak--in the Senate impeachment trial in terms of buttressing the case against the Vice President.
“Mas lalong klarong lumalabas na mas napipikon na sila sa mga katulad ni Atty. Kapunan na magagaling na mga abogado at mas epektibo sa paglalahad ng mga testimonya ng mga witnesses na hindi nasasagot diretsa ng depensa,” Adiong said during an online press briefing.
(It is becoming clearer that they are getting more irritated with lawyers like Atty. Kapunan, who are skilled and more effective in presenting witness testimonies that the defense cannot directly answer.)
The prosecution panel spokesperson was alluding to Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, who called Kapunan the “Marites ng impeachment (Rumor source of the impeachment)” and criticized her for linking the Duterte family to what she described as a "culture of violence".
“Isa lang masasabi ko, kaya ata nila sini-single out ngayon si Atty. Kapunan kasi talagang magaling siya. She was able to elicit information from the witnesses that strengthened the case against the Vice President,” Adiong pointed out.
(The only thing I can say is that maybe they are singling out Atty. Kapunan now because she is truly skilled. She was able to elicit information from the witnesses that strengthened the case against the Vice President.)
Kapunan--who has nearly 50 years of law practice experience under her belt--leads the 15 private prosecutors that are helping the House prosecution panel gain a conviction on the respondent.
Kapunan had earlier said following the deadly Ateneo de Zamboanga University shooting that Vice President’s words and actions were contributing to what she described as a culture of violence in the country.
While Kapunan wasn't blaming the Vice President alone for violence in the country, she said the latter was being part of the problem rather than the solution.
To this, Adiong said: “I’m not gonna defend Atty. Kapunan because she can ably defend herself."
Personal attacks won't cut it
But he reckoned that personal attacks like those from Rep. Duterte would neither help respondent Duterte’s defense nor answer the allegations against her.
“Personal attacks, saying na 'marites', will not help not only the case of the defense, but it will not help the entirety of the proceedings by focusing on the merits of the case,” said the Lanao del Sur solon.
Kapunan has taken a prominent role in examining witnesses on Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd).
Adiong said attacking Kapunan over her opinions or personality would not answer the questions raised by the evidence presented in the impeachment trial.
“It will not be a way to counter the allegations, much less provide an answer to the increasing questions surrounding the misuse of the confidential funds of the OVP."

Related Tags

Lorna Kapunan Zia Alonto Adiong Sara Duterte Paolo Duterte impeachment
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