Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co on Thursday criticized the legal strategy of Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team during the 15th day of her Senate impeachment trial, pointing to its assertion that “misleading questions” are allowed during cross-examination.

Co said Duterte’s lawyers had displayed a pattern consistent with the Vice President’s previous remarks questioning the impeachment proceedings, including her claims that the Senate was “bending the law” and that there was insufficient evidence against her.

“This strategy is no longer surprising. What can we expect from a defense panel whose client apparently does not recognize the institutional process being afforded to her?” Co said.

“If the Senate impeachment court was quote-unquote ‘bending the law,’ why won’t she personally appear in the trial to air her concerns?” she added.

Co was referring to an exchange between private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan and defense lawyer Kristine Ferrer while the latter was cross-examining state auditor Xylene Mae del Campo over Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Kapunan objected after Ferrer allegedly interrupted Del Campo before she could complete her answers. She also argued that the defense’s questions had become “misleading.”

“Never mind if you are on cross, there are limits to cross examination, leading, misleading questions are not allowed in cross, I don’t think I need to lecture you on that,” Kapunan said.

“They are allowed,” Ferrer responded.

Later in the proceedings, lead defense counsel Sheila Sison called out prosecutor Armando Virgil Ligutan over a cryptic social media post that appeared to refer to the exchange.

Although Ligutan did not identify anyone in his post, Sison said it was clear whom he was referring to when he wrote: “Misleading questions are NOT allowed even on cross-examination.”

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, presiding officer of the impeachment court, said the court would issue an order addressing public statements made by parties participating in the trial.

Escudero also said “one side” appeared to have been “crossing the line many times” based on the court’s observations of social media activity.

Co said she hoped any order issued by the impeachment court would apply equally to everyone involved in the proceedings.

“For us, what we want to uphold is clear. One court, one standard. If the impeachment court can not be insulted, everyone must be prohibited from doing so,” Co said.