A new name keeps surfacing as the Senate impeachment court grills witnesses in the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Atty. Reynaldo B. Robles, one of the private prosecutors helping the House panel, led the questioning on Day 20, and Filipinos are suddenly searching for the man behind the robe.
Who is Atty. Reynaldo Robles?
one of the private prosecutors of the House for Duterte’s impeachment. He is a veteran litigation lawyer handling civil, criminal, labor, and commercial cases at all levels of the Philippine judiciary, as Inquirer.net details.
On Day 20 of the trial, which opened the proceedings’ ninth week, Robles led the direct examination of the prosecution’s witness, AFP Col. Manaros Boransing II, who testified on DepEd confidential funds.
From UP to the top of the bar
Robles earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, major in Economics, from the University of the Philippines in 1986. He then took up law at Far Eastern University, graduating cum laude and class valedictorian in 1990 while placing 10th in that year’s bar examinations.
Since 1993, he has been the founding and managing partner of Chan Robles and Associates.
Quick facts at a glance
| Quick facts | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role in trial | Private prosecutor for the House panel |
| Law firm | Chan Robles and Associates, founding managing partner since 1993 |
| Law degree | Far Eastern University, 1990, cum laude, class valedictorian |
| Bar exam rank | 10th place, 1990 Philippine Bar Examinations |
| Also heads | ChanRobles LawNet Inc.; Chan Robles Professional Review Inc. |
A career across law, policy, and the classroom
- Trustee and legal counsel of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute Inc.
- Former professor of law at the FEU Institute of Law, teaching criminal, administrative, and election law.
- Legal counsel and legislative consultant to national and local government officials.
- Chaired technical working groups that helped Senate committees draft reports and more than 50 bills.
A familiar face in high-profile cases
Robles has represented major political figures before. He was the lawyer of former senator Sonny Trillanes when former president Rodrigo Duterte voided the amnesty granted over his mutiny attempts during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term.
The impeachment trial enters its ninth week as the prosecution, including Robles, presses its case against Vice President Duterte. For more context, see our coverage of a hostile witness on Day 18 and the 16-vote threshold explainer.
