Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said on Wednesday that he will insist on representing witness Lauro Vizconde when the impeachment court begins tackling the complaint docketed as Article 3, in which the latter is slated to be among the witnesses.

Article 3 touches on issues of Corona's competence and integrity, among others. Vizconde is expected to shed light on the matter of Corona sharing sensitive information on deliberations at the high court involving the case of mass murders committed against members of Vizconde's family. Corona had purportedly intimated that a supreme court justice was trying to lobby for acquittal of the principal accused in the case.

Topacio, who also happens to be the lawyer of former President Gloria Arroyo and her husband Mike Arroyo, went to the Senate to seek an explanation from the prosecutors as to why they were discouraging Vizconde from engaging him as legal counsel.

"I am deeply offended. Sana kinausap muna nila ako bago dumiretso sa kliyente ko (They could have talked to me before going straight to my client)," Topacio said.

He claimed to have been trying to contact prosecution spokesman Erin Tañada in the past weeks to ask for an explanation, but Tañada did not respond to his calls. He maintained that his connection with the Arroyos should not be the reason for barring him from playing a role as Vizconde’s lawyer.

ACL / Reportage from Stephanie Ongkiko