15/08/2026
Sison-Ligutan spat: Poa says he won’t add fuel to the fire
Defense counsel and spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa opted not to comment on the call-out made by his colleague, lead defense counsel Atty. Sheila Sison, against prosecution counsel Atty. Amando Ligutan.
“Hindi na lang ako mag-comment doon. I think Atty. Sison already expressed what she had to express earlier. I don’t want to add on pa to what she said. I also don’t want to add fuel to the fire. Nasabi naman ang kailangan sabihin,” Poa said in a press briefing on August 12, 2026, following the adjournment of Day 15 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial.
He deemed it best for both parties to wait for impeachment court Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero’s issuance of a new ruling on the controversial matter by next week.
Poa also believed Ligutan should be given a chance to air his side.
“In fairness, bigyan din naman natin si Atty. Ligutan ng pagkakataon na magsalita dahil hindi siya nakapagsalita kanina,” he said.
Poa’s remarks came after Sison slammed Ligutan in her manifestation before the court in reference to his Facebook post, which read, “a principle ALL lawyers and law students know by heart: Misleading questions are NOT allowed even on cross-examination.”
“I find it troubling that the private prosecutor would do this in the middle of a courtroom hearing because as far as I’m concerned, impeachment court is also a court of decorum,” she said.
“We are not naive what the private prosecutor is talking about. He’s here. He can explain it. He can explain himself if the Presiding Officer so desires. But I really just find it in bad taste to do this at this time,” she added.
“We will not have this,” Sison warned.
Reacting to Sison’s callout, prosecution lead counsel and Batangas 2nd District Representative Atty. Gerville Luistro sought the court’s permission to allow Ligutan to respond in the “interest of fair play,” but Escudero did not allow it.
Instead, Escudero disclosed he is set to issue a new directive pertaining to public statements uttered by both camps in relation to Duterte’s trial, while assuring Ligutan that the court will hear his side.
Meanwhile, Ligutan shot back at Sison and defended his post.
“Pu-pwede akong mag-post any time, 24 hours a day. I think that is part of my right as a human being. To post something na sa tingin ko ano ‘yung nasusulat sa rules of court,” Ligutan bluntly told reporters in a post-trial ambush interview.
The veteran trial litigator asserted he will not delete his post.
“Buburahin ko ba? Hindi allowed ang misleading question. Hindi ko ‘yan buburahin kasi ‘yun ‘yung nakasaad sa ating rules of court. ‘Buti sana kung I named somebody, ‘buti sana if I said this is regarding this. Even that, pu-pwedeng pang i-argue there is nothing wrong with that. Basahin niyo yung post,” he said.
Ligutan maintained he did not violate the sub judice rule.
“Walang bad faith. Walang malice. It’s just like saying, one plus one equals two at that particular time inside an impeachment case. No misleading question is allowed is as true as the sun rising from the east and setting in the west. One plus one equals two. There is nothing illegal about it,” he said.
Pressed about Sison questioning its timing, he replied, “that’s her problem, that’s her problem.”
