MANILA, Philippines - Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio on Wednesday accused House prosecutors of asking his client, Lauro Vizconde, to drop him as lawyer if Vizconde testifies in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Topacio said Vizconde was informed by prosecutors that his lawyer is a "negative." He warned the prosecutors that they should not interfere with Vizconde's client of choice, saying they are all brothers in the same profession.

Vizconde earlier said he is willing to testify that he talked to Corona in September 2010 about his case against Hubert Webb and other suspects in the Vizconde massacre. He earlier said Corona told him that Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio was pressuring colleagues to vote for the acquittal of Hubert, son of former Senator Freddie Webb.

Prosecution panel spokesman Lorenzo Tañada, meanwhile, said the prosecution has discretion on which witness to present before the impeachment court. In the case of Vizconde, he said their only consideration is his health.

He said that while he cannot confirm Topacio's claim, he also noted that Topacio is a lawyer for former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Another spokesman, Miro Quimbo, said it is beyond them to do that to a fellow lawyer.

Majority Leader Boyet Gonzales, meanwhile, said the prosecution may waive the presentation of the other Articles of Impeachment.

He described Topacio as a "very colorful person" and "his political color is known."

Topacio shot to national consciousness when he told ABS-CBN News Channel last year that he was willing to "cut off his ball" if the Arroyos do not return to the country after undergoing medical examinations abroad. This was after the Department of Justice blocked Arroyo's departure despite a Supreme Court order allowing her to leave.

He received criticism for saying that Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler was a good leader and that there was no evidence that Hitler ordered the Holocaust.

"Walang nailabas na pagpapatibay na may official state policy ang Germany sa ilalim ng National Socialist regime na patayin ang mga Hudyo. Ang gusto lamang nila ay ilayo o i-segregate, o i-exile ang mga Hudyo," he said.