Romer Butuyan 
PORMAL iprinisinta ng House prosecution panel ang malakas na hanay ng mga veteran litigator, former government lawyer, law firm partners at legal academics na magiging katuwang bilang private prosecutors sa paglalatag ng kaso laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Sa isang press conference sa Batasan Complex, pinangunahan ni lead prosecutor at House Committee on Justice Chair Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro ang mga batikang private lawyers na nagboluntaryo para tumulong sa 11-member House prosecutors.
“Today is a very important day for the country because finally, we will be introducing the first batch of the private prosecutors who will be assisting the House prosecutors. By first batch, it means that there will be subsequent batches,” pahayag ni Luistro.
Ayon kay Luistro, kabilang sa mga magiging gawain ng private prosecutors ay ang pag-asiste sa House prosecutors sa paghahanda ng mga testigo at ebidensya, paggawa ng mga pleading at pagbuo ng trial strategy.
Sa ngayon, ani Luistro, ay may first batch ng mga abogado mula sa pribadong sektor na maging ka-tandem nila, na konektado sa tatlong respetadong nabibilang sa law firms— ang PECABAR Law, Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices, at ang SALiGAL Law.
Sinabi ng Batangas lady solon na kilala ang nabanggit na law offices sa paghawak ng high-profile litigation, criminal prosecutions, corporate disputes, arbitration proceedings at complex commercial cases.
Kabilang sa magiging miyembro ng prosecution team ay sina Atty. Marforth Fua, managing partner ng PECABAR Law at former assistant presidential legal counsel ng administrasyon ni President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.; veteran trial lawyer Lorna Kapunan, founder at senior partner ng Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices, na isa sa most recognized litigators sa bansa; at Cebu-based lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, managing partner ng SALiGAL Law at senior lecturer sa University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law.
Makakasama rin nila sina PECABAR partners Erwin Matib at Justine Anne Lamarca at senior associate James Bryan Ibrahim; Kapunan and Castillo senior partner Sonya Margarita Benemerito Castillo, junior partner Deanne Melissa Lorenzo-Singian, co-managing partner Bettina Zamora, at lawyer Lino Chris Kapunan.
Ang mga nabanggit na legal practitioners ay nagtataglay ng deka-dekadang karanasan sa criminal litigation, anti-graft cases, white-collar crime, commercial disputes, labor law, family law, environmental law, arbitration, taxation at corporate practice.
Sinabi naman ni House prosecutor at Akbayan Partylist Rep. Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno na ang pagkakaroon ng private prosecutors ay batay sa “long-established tradition” sa major impeachment proceedings, kung saan matatandaan umano na siya mismo ay naging volunteer prosecutor sa impeachment trial laban kay former President Joseph Estrada.
“The assistance of private lawyers would be invaluable as the prosecution prepares to present documentary evidence and witnesses before the Senate,” pahayag pa ni Diokno.
“Hindi po madali ang trabaho ng isang prosecutor. Maraming kailangang gawin in terms of witnesses, in terms of evidence, exhibits, making sure that all the evidence we present is admitted by the court,” dagdag niya.
Nilinaw naman ni Luistro na ang lahat ng miyembro ng legal team ay sumang-ayon hindi tatanggap ng anumang compensation dala na matibay nilang paniniwala na isang tungkulin nila sa Saligang Batas ang pagtataguyod ng accountability sa hanay ng public officials.
“We solicited the help of private lawyers who are willing to be with us on this cause on a voluntary basis. Mas kilala sa tawag na pro bono, o para mas maintindihan pa ng ating mga kababayan, ibig sabihin libre, walang bayad.”
