Kapunan claims Sara camp ‘playing victim,’ calls Sison ‘bully’

Private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan did not mince words in describing how she felt about the attempt of Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp to play the “victim” in the proceedings, arguing that it was lead defense lawyer Atty. Sheila Sison that was “bullying” the prosecution.

“They always play the victim card. We are tired of hearing them say we are the victims. Number one, sila naman ang nagsasabing respondent-accused. We never referred to the respondent as accused,” Kapunan told reporters during a press conference.

The veteran litigator’s sentiments came after Duterte’s camp reacted negatively towards the manifestation of the prosecution panel to withdraw three out of its four impeachment articles on Tuesday.

Lead public prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro said that out of all articles, the case that they would be retaining was Article II–pertaining to the alleged unexplained wealth of the Vice President.

Kapunan argued that Duterte and her lawyers could not simply assert that she was being “persecuted” particularly as the court had given her every opportunity to defend herself before the impeachment court.

“They want, again, to portray the respondent, Vice President, as a victim, forgetting that, wait a minute, she is not the victim, the public is the victim here,” she stated.

“You’re talking about public funds, you’re talking about a public officer, and the impeachment, time and again, our chair Jinky has said, this is an accountability mechanism,” she added.

Kapunan claimed that the Vice President was being “unfair” when it came to her decision to continue skipping the constitutional proceedings, asserting that it went against the principles of fairness and justice.

The veteran lawyer said that she drew her statements from Duterte’s various press conferences wherein she repeatedly ridiculed the process, going as far as claiming that the trial was “moro-moro” [a folk play].

Sison a “bully”

Aside from calling out the Vice President, Kapunan would also direct her criticisms towards Sison who she claimed had repeatedly bullied the prosecution panel through using words such as “persecution,” “accused,” and “denial of due process.”

The seasoned lawyer likewise stated how she took exception to the lead defense lawyer’s conduct towards the public prosecutors, claiming that the disrespect to the panel had also been displayed to senator-judges.

“It’s not just bullying, the word I would use for that is disrespectful. She disrespects not only the prosecution, but also the senator-judges,” she explained.

Kapunan maintained that it was prerogative of opposing parties to still practice courtesy and respect towards one another even despite the adversarial nature of such proceedings.