A photograph showing private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan locked in an embrace with defense lawyer Atty. Kristine Ferrer spread widely online ahead of Monday’s resumption of the Senate impeachment trial, prompting Kapunan to open up about what passed between the two women.
Speaking to reporters on August 17, 2026, Kapunan recounted that Ferrer had addressed her affectionately during their exchange before proceedings began. “She called me ‘Mommy,'” she said.
Kapunan said she had urged the younger lawyer to step back from social media, warning that the commentary circulating there could take a personal toll. “I said don’t look at social media. Kasi sometimes it’s very hurting,” she recalled.
According to Kapunan, Ferrer took the advice well, and the two parted on settled terms. “Sabi niya naman, okay. She said, ‘We’re good. We’re good,'” she said.
The warmth stood in contrast to the friction between the two during the trial’s 15th day on August 12, when they clashed over what was described as “misleading questions” directed at prosecution witness Xylene del Campo, an auditor from the Commission on Audit.
Kapunan had returned to that theme in a television interview on August 13, suggesting that a measured approach often carries more weight in courtroom argument. Knowing when to hold back, she noted, can prove more effective than pressing a seasoned witness through cross-examination.
The 16th day of the trial wrapped up shortly after 2:00 p.m. on Monday, with former Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta of the Office of the Vice President taking the stand for the prosecution.
