PHNO-HL: CORONA FACES HISTORIC MOMENT / CJ CORONA LEAVING HIS FATE TO GOD

CORONA FACES HISTORIC MOMENT / CJ
CORONA LEAVING HIS FATE TO GOD

[PHOTO - Chief
Justice Renato Corona: Will he tell all? INQUIRER FILE
PHOTO]
MANILA, MAY 22, 2012 (INQUIRER) By Christian V. Esguerra
- Will he tell all or will he
clam up?
When he takes the witness stand on Tuesday afternoon before a national
television audience, Chief Justice Renato Corona will face a historic "moment of
truth" that could determine the outcome of his impeachment trial.
But despite his camp's assurance that he would explain everything, questions
still linger as to how candid—or evasive—the Chief Justice would be in face of
his accusers, the 23 senator-judges and the public at large.
Senator Gregorio Honasan on Monday said Corona—the first Philippine Chief
Justice to be impeached—should "tell the truth, tell everything."
"This is a moment of truth for him and this, to me, is a positive
development, whatever happens," he told the Inquirer shortly before he sat down
with fellow senators in a caucus on the eve of Corona's testimony.
For Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, the Chief Justice's testimony should
focus on "whatever inconsistencies" there appeared to be in his statements of
assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs), particularly his failure to declare
his alleged dollar accounts.
"That's what he needs to explain," he said in an interview. Asked if Corona's
properties remained a point of contention, he said: "To me, the matter is
already clear."
The prosecution earlier alleged in press conferences that the Chief Justice
owned a total of 45 properties, based on a computer-generated list obtained from
the Land Registration Authority, whose head is a former classmate and campaign
supporter of President Aquino.
The defense maintained that Corona had only five properties; the prosecution
later agreed to dispute only 21 properties.
Honasan said during the caucus, the chamber opted not to reconsider its
decision to respect the Supreme Court temporary restraining order against the
opening of Corona's alleged dollar deposits in the Senate tribunal.
"The consensus among senators is to allow him to testify first," he said, but
warned against the repercussions should the Chief Justice repeatedly invoke his
right against self-incrimination.
"What's the point of his appearance? This is not a matter of yes or no or
multiple choice answers. He must explain everything and present credible proof,"
the senator added.
Tranquil Salvador III, one of Corona's lawyers, said the defense expects the
Chief Justice to be "butchered" in the face of "no mercy questions" from both
the prosecution and senator-judges.
Salvador said "it is now clear" that Corona would be grilled mainly on his
purported dollar deposits.
Citing an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report, Ombudsman Conchita
Carpio-Morales earlier testified that Corona had some $12 million in
"transactional" balance. The defense flatly denied the allegation and questioned
the validity of the report and how Morales arrived at her figures.
"We've seen the direction (of the trial) and we are ready," he told the
Inquirer.
But while the defense expressed confidence that Corona could explain
everything with evidence, Salvador admitted that communicating the matter to the
public—and convincing the people of his innocence—would be another matter.
"The main audience is the public," he said. "(The) delivery (of the message)
is very important. More important than the merits (of the case) is messaging."

Honasan admitted that senators would consider public opinion in deciding the
fate of Corona.
"There are hanging issues that only the Chief Justice can answer, not only in
the eyes of senators but also of the Filipino people, who are the primary
audience," he said. "You have to factor in evidence, testimonies, proof. But
it's a political process. Ultimately, you have to factor in what will be good
for the country."
Honasan added: "Let's say the verdict is 'not guilty' but in the eyes of the
public he is, how can he preside over the highest court in the country? Or what
if he is found guilty but in the eyes of the people he committed no culpable
violation of the Constitution, that his lapses are not impeachable? He can walk
freely among the people with his head held high."
The hour-long caucus tackled a number of issues such as Sen. Miriam
Defensor-Santiago's move to summon the managers of nine banks where Corona
supposedly kept dollar accounts as per the AMLC report.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and his colleagues declined to discuss the
results of the caucus, which would be officially announced when trial resumes at
2 p.m. Tuesday.
But a source present in the meeting said the Senate could not grant
Santiago's wish. The bank managers should be subpoenaed upon the request of
either the defense or the prosecution, not by the Senate, said the informant,
who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter
in public.
"If the bank managers would be subpoenaed based on a senator's request, we
would not be sure if they would be witnesses for the defense or the
prosecution," the Inquirer was told.
Corona leaving fate to God' By TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer 12

[PHOTO FROM MALAYA BUSINESS INSIGHTS]
Chief Justice Renato Corona skipped a key meeting with his lawyers Sunday,
telling them to make it a "family day," a sign, they said, that he "wants to
prepare on his own" for his much-anticipated appearance in his impeachment trial
tomorrow.
Corona has been sifting through documents and "recalling facts" for his
defense on the main charge of nondisclosure of assets, including an alleged $12
million in bank accounts, said Rico Paolo Quicho, a spokesperson for the
defense.
When the Chief Justice takes the witness stand, expect him to be "candid,
forthright and truthful," Quicho said.
Corona will also invoke his right against self-incrimination, if necessary,
the lawyer said, adding that the Chief Justice also was preparing himself
"physically, mentally and spiritually."
"He'll be guided by God. He's ready to face his fate," Quicho said by phone.

"We're hoping for the best and expecting the worst," said another defense
lawyer, Tranquil Salvador III.
On Monday, the senator-judges are set to meet in a closed-door caucus to
tackle administrative matters, according to Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto
III.
Sotto said these include, among others, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago's
motion to subpoena bank officials for the verification of Corona's alleged
dollar accounts; Sen. Francis Pangilinan's proposal to hold a hearing on Friday,
usually an off-trial day; and scenarios on the closing arguments of the
prosecution and defense panels.
"We hope his testimony will be finished in two days," Sotto said, but he
acknowledged that the length of testimony would depend on the questions.
After Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales last week dropped the bombshell that
Corona allegedly kept $12 million in 82 accounts in at least five banks, his
lawyers have been prepping him up on "possible questions" to be raised on this
score.
"He's studying the facts, recalling the facts. He will just say what he
thinks is right, and what he knows about the whole thing. It will be an
honest-to-goodness testimony. Nothing more, nothing less," Quicho said.
"He'll be candid, forthright, truthful. No secrets. That's what we're
preparing for."
Humiliation expected
Quicho said the lawyers expected that Corona would be subjected to ridicule
and humiliation despite statements by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the
presiding judge, that he would be accorded due courtesy.
"We can object to the questions of the prosecutors. We won't back down. But
it's a different story when judges start asking questions,'' he said. "He'll be
ready for it. This will be the greatest performance of his life. This will
define his character."
Of course, the Chief Justice would invoke his right against
self-incrimination "if compelled by circumstances," like being asked questions
unrelated to the verified impeachment complaint, Quicho said. And he's aware of
the implications if he invoked this too often, he added.
"Only the Chief Justice can invoke that. When we feel it would not be good
for us, we'd adjust," he said.
But definitely, Corona is not facing senator-judges and the prosecutors on
Tuesday just to clam up, according to Quicho.
"Definitely not. Let's wait for him. Let's give him a chance. He requires a
modicum of respect, too," he said.
As for comments that Corona would likely admit to owning a few bank accounts
but claim that these came from legitimate sources, Quicho said the public should
await his testimony, and not preempt him.
Fodder for future
Reminded of observations that the main issue was not the number of accounts
Corona kept, but whether the Chief Justice declared these in his statement of
assets, liabilities and net worth, Quicho said: "Then impeach him. If they have
enough knowledge of the facts, why don't they testify?"
He said the call of some senators that Corona issue a waiver on his dollar
accounts was premature.
"They should not second-guess the Chief Justice. They have to wait before
they give their comments. He should be given a clean slate. He's offering
himself as a witness. We should wait for him," he said.
Corona is well aware that once he starts talking, everything he says will be
a fodder for the filing of a future criminal case against him, the lawyer said.

"When he testifies, it's open season. He can be attacked; he can also
attack," Quicho said. "Everything is on the line. But he's optimistic. He feels
composed, collected. He's going for the jugular."
President Aquino's spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, said the Palace's
expectation on Corona's testimony was no different from that of the people.
"The whole Philippines is also ready to hear his testimony and also the
prosecution and the senator-judges are also ready to hear his testimony and ask
further questions on his testimony," Lacierda said on state radio dzRB.
What's good for country?
Sen. Gregorio Honasan said Sunday that regardless of the verdict, Corona
still had to deal with the issue of whether he was still fit to preside over the
Supreme Court amid the effort by the entire government machinery of the Aquino
administration to demonize him.
"If he's found innocent but the Filipino people feel that he's culpable, he
will find it difficult to preside with moral ascendancy over the highest court
of the land," Honasan said by phone.
On the other hand, "if he's pronounced guilty, but in the eyes of the
Filipino people, the primary audience, he's innocent, he can walk among his
people with his head held high," he said.
"Ultimately, it will be the people who will decide the Chief Justice's case,"
Honasan said. "Ultimately, at the end of the line, it's inconsequential whether
he's pronounced guilty or innocent. Ultimately what has to be answered is, what
is good for the country?"
Honasan, who has been poring over documents of the past months to prepare for
Corona's testimony, said he would ask clarificatory questions that would not be
raised by his colleagues.
"His testimony should be able to bridge the gap and what was presented in
court," he said. With reports from Christine O. Avendaño and
Marlon Ramos



Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi

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