MANILA — Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list first nominee and former senator Leila de Lima confirmed on Wednesday her upcoming role in the House prosecution panel for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
De Lima said she accepted an invitation from House Speaker Martin Romualdez to join the team of prosecutors who will present the case before the Senate.
In a separate statement, Speaker Romualdez said he welcomed the possible inclusion of both De Lima and Akbayan party-list first nominee Atty. Chel Diokno in the panel, citing their “unquestioned legal expertise and deep commitment to justice.”
“Former Senator De Lima and Atty. Diokno are two of the most respected legal minds in the country. Their potential inclusion in the prosecution panel would add credibility, balance, and depth to this constitutionally mandated process,” Romualdez said.
“They are not just veteran lawyers—they are public servants with a lifelong record of upholding the rule of law and protecting democratic institutions. Their involvement would be a valuable contribution to ensuring that the proceedings are fair, principled, and rooted in the public interest,” he added.
Vice President Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives in February on charges of “high crimes,” including an alleged assassination plot against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court when Congress resumes session on June 2, 2025.
A two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to convict the Vice President. To avoid removal from office and preserve her political future, Duterte will need at least nine senators to vote in her favor.
