World

Vice President Sara Duterte Names Lawyer Paolo Panelo as Spokesperson

By Mia Gonzalez

Vice President Sara Duterte has named lawyer Paolo Panelo as her new spokesperson, according to an announcement from her office on Wednesday, September 9. Panelo is the son of Salvador Panelo, who previously served as chief presidential counsel under the Vice President's father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. The Office of the Vice President stated that Panelo will act as the official point of communication for the Vice President, representing her views and positions while engaging with media and the public on relevant issues. The office added that it looks forward to his role in making information more accessible and easier for the public to understand. Panelo succeeds lawyer Michael Poa, who stepped down from the spokesperson role in November 2024. Poa remains part of Duterte's legal defense team and continues to serve as her spokesperson during her impeachment trial. The Panelo Law Office has a history of representing the Duterte family in legal matters. In March, Paolo Panelo served as counsel for the Vice President in a perjury case she filed against Ramil Madriaga, a self-confessed former aide who made allegations during a House justice committee hearing related to the impeachment pre-trial process. The appointment comes as Duterte continues to face her impeachment trial, along with a separate grave threats case connected to remarks she made during a midnight virtual press conference in November 2024, in which she referenced an assassination threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family. The announcement also follows a statement made a day earlier by the prosecution team in the impeachment trial, which said it intends to call Duterte to testify.