Leila de Lima to replace defeated lawmakers in VP Sara’s prosecution team

Congressmen Loreto Acharon and Jil Bongalon fail to secure a second term, leaving two vacant seats in the prosecution team for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial

With two of the 11 lawmakers assigned to prosecute Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial losing their reelection bids, can opposition figures Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno replace them?

De Lima said she already got an offer, while Diokno said he is open to it.

“I just got a call from the Speaker. I answered in the affirmative to the suggestion/offer to be part of the prosecution panel,” De Lima told Rappler.

De Lima is the first nominee of ML or Mamamayang Liberal, which, based on partial and unofficial results from the Commission on Elections as of 3:30 pm on Wednesday, May 14, ranks 14th in the same race. With 63 seats up for grabs, the group is projected to grab at least one seat in the 20th Congress.

Diokno, meanwhile, is the first nominee of Akbayan, which is virtually guaranteed three seats in the House of Representatives after topping the party-list race in the May 2025 polls.

“I’m not forcing myself into the role, but I’m willing to serve as a member of the prosecution panel, and I have had some experience in impeachment cases,” Diokno told Teleradyo Serbisyo.

Out of the 11 House prosecutors designated by the House back in February to join the prosecution team, Ako Bicol Representative Jil Bongalon and General Santos City Representative Loreto Acharon failed to get a second term.

Bongalon sought the first congressional district seat in Albay, but — based on latest data available from the Comelec Media Server — lost by 20,000 votes to Krisel Lagman, daughter of the late statesman Edcel Lagman.

Acharon, meanwhile, trailed former South Cotabato 1st District representative Shirlyn Banas-Nograles by 70,000 votes in the fight for the congressional seat of General Santos.

The other nine are set to retain their seats in the 20th Congress:

• Antipolo 2nd District Representative Romeo Acop – won unopposed
• Oriental Mindoro 1st District Representative Arnan Panaligan – won unopposed
• Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor – won by a landslide, had no serious opponent
• Bukidnon 2nd District Representative John Keith Flores – won by a landslide, had no serious opponent
• 1-Rider Representative Rodge Gutierrez – projected to be reelected after a decent showing by his party-list group
• 4Ps Representative Marcelino Libanan – projected to be reelected after an impressive showing by his party-list group
• San Juan Representative Bel Zamora – won her race against an Estrada opponent with twice the number of votes
• Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro – survived a challenge from predecessor Raneo Abu, who was endorsed by VP Duterte
• Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua – survived a challenge from Manila Councilor Apple Nieto, who was endorsed by VP Duterte

All the lawmakers appointed by the House to the prosecution panel are lawyers. Diokno and De Lima would fit right in, too, should they become part of the team.

De Lima, who was detained for nearly seven years over trumped up charges during the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, is also a staunch critic of the Vice President. She was the spokesperson of the first impeachment complaint filed against Sara Duterte in December.

Diokno’s party-list group Akbayan has been relentless in criticizing Duterte’s confidential expenses, one of the bases of the consolidated impeachment complaint transmitted to the Senate.

At least one incumbent lawmaker from the House majority embraces the idea already.

“They are both lawyers, both consistent defenders of human rights, and both long-time critics of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs — exactly the kind of voices we need to restore accountability,” said House Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun.

“This is bigger than politics. This is about restoring the people’s faith in public institutions. And if leaders like incoming Reps. De Lima and Diokno are willing to help prosecute the case, the House should welcome them with open arms,” he added.

House rules only state that prosecutors must be “elected by a majority vote of the members present, there being a quorum.” – Rappler.com