THREE UST alumni are set to be on the prosecution panel in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Representatives Jil Bongalon and Lorenz Defensor (Faculty of Civil Law) and Joel Chua (now defunct College of Commerce and Accountancy) are among the 11 members of the prosecution team that will make the case for conviction once the impeachment case is tried in the Senate.
On Feb. 5, the House of Representatives voted 215-106 to impeach Duterte, citing seven articles of impeachment that included betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and committing high crimes, and other crimes.
The complaint voted upon was endorsed by the president’s son, Ilocos Norte first district representative Sandro Marcos. This followed the filing of three impeachment complaints before the House in December.
During the plenary session, House members voted for 11 prosecutors manage the impeachment case at the Senate, based on Rule VI, Section 16 of the House Rules on Impeachment.
Eight other representatives will join the Thomasian legislators, including Batangas second district representative Gerville Luistro, Antipolo second district representative Romeo Acop, and House minority leader Marcelino Libanan.
Raul Angelo “Jil” Bongalon
A 2016 UST Faculty of Civil Law graduate, Bongalon is vice chairperson of the House Appropriations Committee, which deals with the national budget. He is also the vice chairperson of the committees on Bicol affairs and economic development and ethics and privileges.
Bongalon is a first-term representative of Ako Bicol Partylist, which placed fifth in the 2022 national elections.
In the 2025 election, he is seeking to represent the first district of Albay and will go against Tabaco, Albay mayor Krisel Lagman, daughter of the late first district representative Edcel Lagman.
Joel Chua
Chua is the chair of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, which started the hearing on the alleged misuse of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, which Vice President Duterte headed for two years.
Chua graduated with a degree in accountancy at the College of Commerce and Accountancy, which at that time housed the Department of Accountancy (now Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy).
Representing the third district of Manila, Chua was elected in the 2022 elections, defeating former councilor Ramon Morales.
A re-electionist under the Asenso Manileño banner of incumbent mayor Honey Lacuna, Chua is running against Aksyon Demokratiko bet Honey Nieto-Rodriguez, sister of Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo.
Lorenz Defensor
Defensor, a re-electionist in the third district of Iloilo, won in 2019 under PDP-Laban (Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Laban ng Bayan) party. He switched to the National Unity Party in 2021.
He is part of the prominent Defensor family. His father, Arthur Defensor Sr. was governor of Iloilo from 2010 to 2019 and was the representative of its third district from 2001 to 2010. His brother, Arthur Defensor Jr. is the governor of Iloilo.
Defensor graduated from the Faculty of Civil Law in 2004.
He is one of the 18 House deputy majority leaders and is the vice chairperson of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments.
Both chambers of Congress adjourned on Feb. 8, which means the impeachment trial will have to wait until after the May 2025 midterm elections.
The House has submitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate, which is constitutionally mandated to act as an impeachment trial court. All senators will act as judges while the chief justice will be the presiding officer.
