ADMONITION FOR 'HEAR-NO-EVIL' AGUIRRE / MARATHON
HEARINGS START MONDAY
MANILA, MARCH 9, 2012 (PHILSTAR) By Christina Mendez (PHOTO
-Supporters of private prosecutor Vitaliano Aguire wear shirts featuring his
face and cover their ears during a rally outside the Senate, which was
discussing the penalty for the lawyer over the incident with Sen. Miriam
Defensor Santiago last week. Manny Marcelo) It
took all of five minutes for senators to decide yesterday that the private
prosecutor cited for direct contempt of the impeachment court could get off with
just a virtual slap on the wrist.
Lawyer Vitaliano Aguirre, who could have been detained for up to 10 days and
fined P2,000 for contempt, instead received a mere admonition "to be more
careful" of his conduct as a prosecutor.
The simple admonition, imposed due to what Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile
described as the "unusual circumstances that surrounded the incident," will be
put on record of the impeachment court.
"I think it will be better to do it that way in order not to create any
further friction in the course of the trial, as well as to quiet the issue
already," said Enrile, presiding officer in the impeachment trial.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago accepted the decision of her colleagues. She
had moved to cite Aguirre in contempt for covering his ears while she was
scolding prosecutors at the trial last week. Sen. Pia Cayetano had seconded the
motion.
"Justice has been done and honor has been satisfied. I understand that this
morning and even last week, he has been apologizing to me," Santiago said at a
press conference.
Aguirre, who withdrew as a member of the prosecution team last week,
said he and his family were "very happy" about the Senate's decision.
"I believe I was the victim here, not the perpetrator," Aguirre told The
STAR.
He emphasized that he harbored no personal ill feelings toward Santiago,
although he suggested that she change her attitude.
"This is not personal to me. For me, it cannot be that you become repugnant
and do damage to other people."
Outside the Senate, supporters of Aguirre held a rally yesterday, wearing
t-shirts featuring his face and covering their ears.
Senators held a caucus on matters pending with the impeachment court for
two-and-a-half hours. But the discussion on Aguirre's penalty took only five
minutes, according to Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III.
After the caucus, Enrile said, "In view of the unusual circumstances that
surrounded the incident, the impeachment court, although there is enough
evidence that may be considered contemptuous of the court, I would not impose a
penalty with respect to laws of freedom on Attorney Aguirre, but simply to
admonish him to be more careful henceforth, with his conduct as a member of the
prosecution panel. So that's it."
Senate sources said before the decision was reached, Sen. Panfilo Lacson had
presented a letter to his colleagues reportedly coming from former government
officials. The letter, the sources said, cited the case of a local trial court
judge who was removed from his post for harsh treatment of a lawyer.
The sources said senators also feared that a harsh penalty on Aguirre could
backfire on the impeachment court.
Reacting to the penalty, defense lawyer Tranquil Salvador III said, "An
admonition is not in the nature of a penalty since it is a gentle and friendly
reproof." – With Paolo Romero
Senate to hold marathon hearings to meet March 23
deadline By Michael Lim Ubac Philippine Daily Inquirer
Barring any objection from defense and prosecution lawyers, the
Senate impeachment court will hold marathon hearings starting Monday to be able
to meet its self-imposed deadline for ending the trial of Chief Justice Renato
Corona on March 23.
At a press conference following a caucus Tuesday, Senate President Juan Ponce
Enrile announced that a consensus was reached to hold hearings from 9 a.m. to
noon and 2-5 p.m. from Monday to Thursday instead of the afternoon sessions in
the past 26 trial days.
"Everybody wants to finish it before we go on a break, if we can do it,"
Enrile told reporters. "We are trying to show to the people that the members of
the Senate and the Senate are willing to work overtime to satisfy the desire of
the public to finish this case the soonest possible time."
Enrile said he would meet with defense and prosecution counsels on Friday to
discuss the proposed hearing schedule. If rejected, the trial would continue its
previous format. If this happened, he said he expected the trial to last until
May.
If the new schedule is followed, senators will have to forego the daily
legislative sessions, Enrile said.
According to Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, some senators had qualms
about the marathon hearings.
"If it does not assure the completion of presentation of evidence by the
defense, what's the point of having a morning and afternoon hearing? We might as
well continue with just the afternoon hearing," Sotto said.
Clinic for older senators
While not opposed to the proposal, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago expressed
apprehension at the logistical nightmare it would entail.
"You might as well have a mobile clinic on standby for the older senators,"
quipped Santiago, who is suffering from fluctuating blood pressure.
The senator disclosed that the last time such an expedited trial was held was
during martial law when she, as Quezon City Regional Trial Court judge, heard
the case for alleged illegal assembly of students from the University of the
Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University.
The students led by the late movie director Lino Brocka, Behn Cervantes,
Cosme Garcia and Rodolfo Santos had demonstrated against the abuses being
allegedly committed at the time by First Lady Imelda Marcos.
Not question of speed
Representative Erin Tañada, a prosecution spokesperson, welcomed the extended
trial hours. "In my view, after Holy Week, the decision will be promulgated," he
said in a statement.
In a text message, defense lawyer Tranquil Salvador III said: "That will be
hard since we still have to prepare our witnesses and documentary evidence for
each day. I think it is unfair for the Chief Justice if the rules are changed in
the middle of the proceedings … It is not a question of speed but ample right to
be heard."
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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