A clash over courtroom decorum spilled onto social media Wednesday as House prosecution panel lawyer Amando Ligutan refused to take down his Facebook post on misleading questions, insisting that his remarks were grounded in the Rules of Court and that posting them was part of his right to express himself as a human being.
Private prosecutor and House Prosecution Panel member Amando Ligutan stood by his Facebook post criticizing the use of misleading questions during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, saying he has no intention of deleting it.
Ligutan made the statement after defense counsel Sheila Sison questioned the propriety of his social media post, which commented on the rules governing cross-examination.
“Why would I? Buburahin ko ba?” Ligutan said, defending his decision to keep the post online. He maintained that misleading questions are not allowed under the Rules of Court.
“I mean, hindi po allowed ang misleading question. Hindi ko ’yan buburahin kasi ’yun po ang nakasaad sa ating Rules of Court. Buti sana kung I named somebody,” he added.
READ OTHER ARTICLES
- Top 1 Most Wanted sa Region 8, Arestado sa Palompon, Leyte
- CTBA Apologizes as Format Change Threatens Strong Group’s Three-Peat
- Crypto, AI and Betting Firms Emerge as New U.S. Political Kingmakers
- Davao City’s ₱10-Billion Waste-to-Energy Project Moves Closer to Reality
- CLE RESULTS August 2026: Criminology Licensure Examination
- Alfred Tecsond Nagkuwento ng Umano’y Karanasan sa PNP General Bilang Kliyente
The issue stemmed from a Facebook post Ligutan published around noon, in which he pointed out that misleading questions are prohibited during cross-examination. The timing of the post coincided with a heated exchange between private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan and defense counsel Kristine Ferrer during the cross-examination of state auditor Xylene Del Campo.
Sison, however, argued that Ligutan’s post was inappropriate, stressing that lawyers participating in the impeachment proceedings are expected to observe the decorum of the impeachment court and refrain from publicly commenting on matters concerning the merits of Duterte’s case while the trial is ongoing.
Ligutan rejected any suggestion that his post was intended to influence the proceedings or attack any particular person.
“Walang bad faith, walang malice,” Ligutan said, clarifying his intention behind the post.
For Ligutan, keeping the post online is also a matter of his personal freedom to express his views.
The exchange highlights the continuing tension between the prosecution and defense teams as the impeachment proceedings move forward, with both sides closely scrutinizing the conduct and statements of lawyers involved in the trial. /aptikons