Kapunan: Senate should remain ‘safe space’ after Tulfo’s ‘pa-cute’ remark

MANILA, Philippines — House prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan reminded the Senate of the Safe Spaces Act after Sen. Raffy Tulfo criticized a lawyer for allegedly being “pa-cute” while questioning a witness in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Kapunan said she believed Tulfo’s remark was a misstatement but stressed that the Senate should remain a safe space for women.

“Let me just say that I think the Senate should be reminded that it was the Senate that passed the Safe Space Law. And that Safe Space is the Bawal Bastos Law headed by Senator Risa Hontiveros, also in the House,” Kapunan said during a press briefing on Thursday, October 1.

“So we are believing that could be a misstatement but still believing that the Senate is a safe space for women like us, and for senior citizens like me,” she added.

Republic Act 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act, was signed into law in April 2019 by then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

The law addresses gender-based sexual harassment in streets and public spaces, online platforms, workplaces and educational institutions, among other settings.

In January 2025, the Senate unanimously approved on third reading a bill seeking to strengthen the law.

During Thursday’s proceedings, Tulfo criticized the prosecution panel over what he said was the presentation of unnecessary witnesses and the conduct of some lawyers.

“Sometimes the prosecution is calling witnesses that are not necessarily needed; we are just wasting our time. You can see some senators get sleepy, some consistently go to the comfort room because it feels useless,” Tulfo said.

“If you are going to get a witness, make sure that they have something to say that can help the ongoing investigation here in the impeachment,” he added.

Tulfo also recalled a recent hearing where a prosecutor was supposedly “trying to be cute” while questioning a police officer.

He advised the prosecution panel to be more mindful of the lawyers it assigns to present witnesses, saying the proceedings should not turn into a combination of courtroom drama and an afternoon variety show.

Tulfo did not identify the prosecutor in his remarks.

The prosecution has so far presented only one police officer, Police Major Joericson Sangalang of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office.

Sangalang testified on Article II of the impeachment complaint, which involves allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte had unexplained wealth that was not declared in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria “Bel” Zamora, a member of the House prosecution panel, questioned Sangalang about firearms owned by Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, that were allegedly not declared in Duterte’s previous SALNs.

Zamora later drew criticism online from some Duterte supporters who accused her of “acting cute” while questioning Sangalang.

She responded to her critics by telling them to “get a life” if they could not handle her sass and style.

Tulfo’s comments came amid the prosecution’s presentation of witnesses in the impeachment case.

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