Meet the ‘fierce litigator’ leading VP Duterte’s defense team

Atty. Sheila Sison, the lead counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment case, is widely regarded as a formidable litigator.

Sison is a partner at the Fortun, Narvasa & Salazar (FNS) Law Offices, where most members of Duterte’s 16-member defense team are affiliated. She was formally introduced as lead defense counsel and, on the first day of proceedings, immediately questioned the constitutionality of the impeachment process initiated by the House of Representatives.

Her law firm describes her as a “fierce litigator” who “takes on battles no ordinary-caliber lawyer would dare handle.”

According to FNS, Sison holds the distinction of being named the firm’s Lawyer of the Year for five consecutive years, from 2015 to 2019.

While relatively unfamiliar to the general public, Sison has built a solid legal career over the past 12 years with little public exposure and no widely known political or social affiliations.

She specializes in criminal litigation and has successfully defended clients in numerous cases before the Sandiganbayan. Her legal experience also covers civil litigation, family law, appellate practice, labor law, mining law, and corporate law.

Sison was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2014 and joined Fortun, Narvasa & Salazar Law Offices a year later. Prior to joining the firm, she was a member of the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc.

Her areas of expertise include family and estate law, labor law, litigation and dispute resolution, as well as projects, mining, and natural resources law.

Sison earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts, major in Writing, from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. She later obtained her Bachelor of Laws from San Sebastian College of Law–Recoletos, where she graduated as class valedictorian and served as a full academic scholar of the Recoletos Order.

She was also the first recipient of the Academic Excellence Medal of Honor awarded by the Recoletos Educational Apostolate of the Philippines.

FNS said Sison’s record as the firm’s Lawyer of the Year for five consecutive years remains a historic achievement and reflects her dedication to legal excellence.

The lawyer was chosen to lead Vice President Duterte’s defense team because of her extensive background in criminal litigation, civil law, and appellate practice.

As a senior partner at FNS, Sison is already involved in legal efforts challenging the constitutionality of the impeachment complaints. Her team’s central argument is that the impeachment process is being used as a political weapon rather than being pursued on legitimate constitutional grounds.

Known for her academic excellence and courtroom advocacy, Sison is recognized for her ability to counter opposing counsel during intense procedural debates, qualities that have made her a key figure in navigating the complexities of the Senate impeachment court.

Vice President Duterte is facing allegations that include the misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, issuing grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., amassing unexplained wealth, and bribing government officials.