CUT SHORT, PROSECUTION NOT READY
MANILA, JANUARY 19,
2012 (INQUIRER) By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net 2:42 pm | Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 —The Senate acting as an
impeachment court threw out on Tuesday an appeal by a senator-judge against the
issuance of subpoena against Supreme Court chief Justice Renato Corona's wife
and other family members.
Fourteen senators voted to sustain Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile's
ruling to deny a request to subpoena Corona, wife Cristina, and two children–
Clara and Francis– while only six voted in favor of Senate Minority Leader Alan
Peter Cayetano's appeal to reconsider the ruling with regards to the wife and
other family members.
While he agreed to the Senate's decision to deny the issuance of subpoena
against the Chief Justice, Cayetano expressed his reservation against the denial
to subpoena the wife and other family members.
"I agree with the ruling in so far as the Chief of Justice is concerned but
as to the wife, the children and the son-in-law, may I put on record my
reservation," he said.
Cayetano explained that some of the properties discovered by the prosecution
team were allegedly in the names of Corona's wife and children.
And under Republic Act 1379 on forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth, Cayetano
pointed out that property unlawfully acquired by the respondent but its
ownerships concealed by its being recorded in the name of, or held by the
respondent's spouse, ascendants, descendants, relatives or any other person was
characterized as "not among legitimately acquired properties."
Cayetano said the court should not shortcut the process by denying the
subpoena against other family members "because we can't predict if and when the
daughter will in fact manifest or claim the privilege or the husband will claim
the disqualification against the wife."
"The proper procedure is for us to issue the subpoena and for the defence or
witnesses to be the ones to claim the privilege later on," he pointed out.
Trial cut short as prosecution 'not ready' By
Maila Ager INQUIRER.net 4:49 pm | Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 2share40 38
MANILA, Philippines—The prosecution team's lack of
preparation to present its first evidence against Supreme Court Chief Justice
Renato Corona prompted the postponement of the impeachment trial in the Senate
on Tuesday.
"The prosecution is not prepared to present evidence today, the court moto
propio postpones the trial until tomorrow afternoon at 2:00," said Senate
President Juan Ponce-Enrile, who presided over the trial.
Enrile made the ruling even after Cavite Representative Elpidio Barzaga Jr
(photo), a member of the prosecution team, insisted that he was prepared to
present their evidence against Corona in relation to his alleged failure to
disclose to the public his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
Barzaga said the prosecution was ready to present the second, not the first
of eight articles of impeachment filed against Corona.
"We are prepared for Article 2," he said.
But Corona's lead counsel, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Serafin
Cuevas, objected saying the prosecution should present the first case which is
the alleged "partiality and subservience in cases involving the Arroyo
administration from the time he was appointed as associate justice to the time
of his midnight appointment as Chief Justice."
Cuevas said the defense team should be given at least three days notice of
the case and the witnesses that will be presented by the prosecution team.
But Barzaga said his team would only present this Tuesday documentary
evidence like true copies of properties, deed of sale, and other pertinent
documents pertaining to Corona's alleged properties.
"We shall not be presenting testimonial evidence," he added.
Palace disappointed prosecutors failed to present evidence
vs Corona on Day 2 By Norman Bordadora Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:16
pm | Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 1share6 5
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang reminded the House
prosecutors, on Tuesday, of the huge responsibility resting on their shoulders
as they take on the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Secretary Edwin Lacierda (photo), President Aquino's spokesperson,
made the remarks after the prosecution panel failed to present its evidence on
the first day it was supposed to.
Lacierda said the Aquino administration expected the prosecutors to learn
from the day's developments in the Senate impeachment court.
"We continue to monitor the proceedings. Together with the rest of the
nation, we believe that a lot rests on the shoulders of the prosecution, and
expectations are high," Lacierda said in a text message to reporters.
"The prosecution will surely heed the lessons of today's proceedings. We are
confident the truth will emerge during the trial," he added.
The Senate impeachment court voted 16-6 to deny the motion of the House
prosecutors to summon Corona's wife and children to the hearing on his assets
and liabilities.
The Senate also suspended the hearing when the defense questioned the
decision of the prosecution to change the sequence of the presentation of
evidence, thereby putting the assets and ill-gotten wealth issues at the top
even if these were number 2 of the Articles of Impeachment.
FROM MANILA BULLETIN
President opts for impromptu speech, skipped speech
prepared by cabinet staff By GENALYN D. KABILING January 16, 2012,
7:29pm
CONCEPCION, Tarlac, Philippines — President Benigno S.
Aquino III Monday skipped a prepared speech and publicly criticized his staff
for giving him incorrect figures in his address.
The President admitted that he was "not happy" with the speech written by his
staff so he opted to deliver an extemporaneous one during the formal
inauguration of a garment plant here.
Aquino was in his home province to inaugurate the D'Luxe Bags Philippines
plant in Tarlac that will exclusively manufacture "Coach" bags in the country.
The company employs 1,200 and produces 90,000 to 100,000 bags every month.
"If you noticed I have removed the teleprompter so that means this speech
might ramble on a bit. But I wasn't happy with the speech. It doesn't really
convey the thoughts that I want to say especially to my very good friend, Willy
Tan," Aquino said at the opening of his remarks.
Tan is the chief executive officer of the Luen Thai Enterprises and Tan
Holding Corp., which invested the new garment firm in Tarlac.
Aquino said his staff should also be "awakened a little" after making another
mistake about the employment figures of the garment firm.
"They told me that Luen Thai will increase their workers here in Tarlac by
another 3,000. Mr. Tan tells me that the number is actually 4,000. So they
forgot the 25 percent that should have been accrued in," he said. "So, again, I
will forgive my staff for making that mistake. But, hopefully, they will not
make similar mistakes in the future," he added.
Aquino disclosed that his writers first bungled the employment figures of EXL
Service Philippines during his visit in Pasay City last week, when they
erroneously wrote it will increase its workforce by 30 percent. "Actually they
wanted to increase by 70 percent so I told my staff it's good that you made a
mistake underestimating their increase, so I will not be too mad at you," he
said.
The President's speech is prepared by the Presidential Communications
Development and Strategic Office led by Secretary Ramon Carandang. In some
occasions in the past, Aquino also set aside a prepared speech because it did
not relate to his audience.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
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