Private prosecutor Amando Virgil Ligutan insisted on proprietary of his Facebook post two weeks ago, even as it ultimately became the reason why the Senate impeachment court laid down stricter rules on public statements by the parties in Vice President Sara Duterte's trial.

“Correcting a mistake is never wrong. Doing it while a hearing is on-going, online, does not make it not right. Ang pagtatama ng mali ay kailanman hindi ipinagbabawal. Kahit sa loob ng impeachment court na ito,” Ligutan said in a manifestation in open court Wednesday morning, Aug. 26.

(Correcting what is wrong is never prohibited, even within this impeachment court.)

Ligutan was referring to his Facebook post during the Aug. 12 impeachment hearing wherein he assailed the notion that misleading questions were allowed during a witness' cross-examination.

This post would later be called out by Duterte’s defense team before presiding officer Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero.

Ligutan--who described himself as a proud teacher--says he simply can't let such remarks go uncorrected.

“That’s why I made that post. I was concerned that the statement made in open court — that misleading questions are allowed — will go unchecked. My teacher’s instinct kicked in,” Ligutan said.

Ligutan said he has practiced law for almost 16 years but has been a teacher and educator for nearly 20. "First and foremost I am a teacher. Isa po akong guro. Usa ko ka maestro (I am a teacher). And I am proud to be one,” he said.

The Cebuano underscored: “Ang pagtuturo, ang pagtatama ng mali, ay walang pinipiling lugar, at walang pinipiling panahon.”

(Teaching and correcting what is wrong have no specific place and no specific time.)

The dispute originated from an exchange between prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan and defense counsel Kristine Ferrer during the Aug. 12 proceedings.

Kapunan initially referred to "leading questions" before correcting herself to "misleading questions". Ferrer responded that “they are allowed,” an exchange that Ligutan said prompted concern among members of the legal community.

However, Ligutan denied that the viral post was directed to any member of the defense. “To the defense, the post is not about you. It is not personal. It is about the law that we all adhere to,” he said.

Ligutan also maintained that the post did not touch on respondent Duterte’s liability or the evidence being heard by the impeachment court. “But what did I violate? I did not discuss the merits of the case. I did not discuss the strength or weakness of the legal arguments or evidence of either side," he explained.

According to the prosecutor, he merely stated a procedural rule without identifying anyone or commenting on the substance of the impeachment charge.

“Your honors, we in the prosecution panel also have rights. I, for one, did not surrender my freedom to teach and to enlighten, when I decided to participate in this trial,” Ligutan said.

“Patuloy po akong magiging guro kahit sa loob ng impeachment court na ito,” he vowed.

(I will continue to be a teacher even inside this impeachment court.)