The House prosecution panel named on Thursday the first batch of private prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

In a press conference, lead House prosecutor and House Committee on Justice Chair Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro introduced the ten private prosecutors from Pecabar Law, Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices, and Saligal Law.

The naming by the House of private prosecutors comes as it is to meet the Senate impeachment court for a pre-trial conference on June 18.

Among those joining the prosecution effort are Marforth Fua, managing partner of Pecabar Law and former assistant presidential legal counsel under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; veteran litigator Lorna Kapunan, founder and senior partner of Kapunan and Castillo Law Offices; and Amando Virgil Ligutan, managing partner of Cebu-based Saligal (Sapayan Lim Alvarez & Ligutan) Law and senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Law.

Also joining are Pecabar partners Erwin Matib and Justin Anne Lamarca and senior associate James Bryan Ibrahim Alih, Kapunan and Castillo senior partner Sonya Margarita Benemerito-Castillo, junior partner Deanna Melissa Lorenzo-Singian, co-managing partner Bettina Zamora, and lawyer Lino Chris Kapunan.

Luistro said during the trial the private prosecutor who offered their service for free will serve only in an assisting capacity and remain under the direction and supervision of the House prosecution panel.

"Pursuant to the rules they (private prosecutors) will remain under the direct control and supervision of the House Prosecutors," she said.

"We are more confident than before because of the presence of the private prosecutors... and this will be followed by the succeeding batches of private persecutors that will be joining the House prosecutors," she added.

More batches of private prosecutors are expected to be introduced in the coming weeks as preparations for the impeachment trial on July 6 gather steam. Robina Asido/PHS