Chiz rebukes Duterte lawyer over Bar remarks

PASAY CITY — Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Tuesday cautioned Vice President Sara Duterte's defense counsel, Mark Vinluan, after he highlighted Duterte's credentials as a lawyer and suggested she scored higher than some lawyers involved in the trial.

During the cross-examination of prosecution witness Jeremy Lotoc, a lawyer and National Bureau of Investigation official in the Bangsamoro region, Vinluan asked whether he knew Duterte had passed the Bar examinations on her first attempt with an 80 percent rating.

Lotoc replied that he had heard it in the news.

Vinluan then remarked, "She has a higher grade than most of the lawyers here."

Private prosecutor Amando Virgil Ligutan objected, citing relevance.

Escudero then intervened, telling Vinluan to avoid what he described as "disparaging" remarks.

"[T]here are a lot of lawyers here and you don't know what their grades are," Escudero said.

Vinluan replied: "We will comply, Your Honor."

The defense team's cross-examination of Lotoc is ongoing. Duterte is expected to arrive at the Senate at any moment.