Sara Duterte's impeachment defense team taps new spox lawyer

The impeachment defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte has appointed lawyer Justin Nicol Gular as a new spokesperson. Gular will handle media interactions alongside spokesperson Michael Poa. Gular is part of the legal team from Fortun, Narvasa, and Salazar (FNS) law firm, originally slated to defend Duterte in her 2025 impeachment. However, those proceedings were cut short when the Supreme Court declared the 2025 impeachment articles unconstitutional. Following a renewed impeachment attempt in May, Gular remained with the defense team led by Sheila Sison and has been attending the trial that commenced on July 6. Born in 1995 and a native of Cebu, Gular is a senior associate at FNS law firm. His expertise spans Corporate and Commercial Practice, Corporate Rehabilitation, Family and Estates, Labor, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, and Projects, Mining, and Natural Resources. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of San Carlos and passed the 2020/2021 Bar Examinations. Notably, he was among the 761 passers recognized in the exemplary list for achieving scores between 85% and 90%. Before becoming a lawyer, Gular was an activist, driven by a passion for social justice. He also has extensive experience as a debater, having won the ANC Square Offs: The Firm Debate championship three times. This experience has made him familiar with media dynamics. Gular acknowledges the impeachment case as one of the biggest of his career and a significant challenge. He emphasizes the public's role in listening to and understanding the proceedings. He admits that the experience is entirely new and that he is learning along the way, humbly recognizing the heavy responsibility involved.