CORONA: I HAVE NO FEAR / PNoy
EXPLAINS TO INC LEADER WHY CJ ON TRIAL
[PHOTO
- SC MASS Chief Justice Renato Corona greets Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles
during Mass inside the Supreme Court compound on the eve of his testimony in the
Senate impeachment court. NIÑO JESUS
ORBETA]
MANILA, MAY 22, 2012 (INQUIRER) By Marlon Ramos - "Walang
kakaba-kaba [No fear at all]."
Chief Justice Renato Corona was smiling when he said he had no fear in reply
to a question from reporters Monday on the eve of his testimony before a Senate
impeachment court that would decide his fate after a four-month trial.
As for the reported lobbying by the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to
ensure his acquittal, he said, "I don't know about that."
The 63-year-old Corona looked calm as he joined his family and about 200
supporters at a Mass celebrated by Lipa City Archbishop Ramon Arguelles at the
Supreme Court compound.
"He is considered a man with respect," Arguelles told the Philippine Daily
Inquirer. "Everybody is innocent until proven guilty."
Clad in a brown polo barong, Corona arrived with his wife, Cristina, a few
minutes before the noon Mass organized by court employees and supporters, who
were in red shirts emblazoned with the words "Acquit Corona."
Jojo Guerrero, president of the Supreme Court Employees Association, said the
group and other organizations supporting Corona would hold a prayer vigil
starting at 4 a.m. Tuesday at the high court's grounds in Manila ahead of their
send-off ceremony for the Chief Justice.
"We are one with our Chief Justice in defending the judiciary and uncovering
the truth behind these baseless accusations," Guerrero said.
"We believe that the Chief Justice would be able to explain his side credibly
and controvert the allegations thrown at him," he said in Filipino.
No court holiday
Guerrero said that while Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez did
not declare a court holiday, court workers were expected to flock to the Senate
to show their support for Corona while others would watch the live telecast of
the impeachment proceedings from their offices.
"That's why we're asking for the understanding of the public because it's
inevitable that our work would be affected," Guerrero said.
House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales Jr. said the House might suspend its
session Tuesday to allow the 188 representatives who signed the articles of
impeachment to watch Corona's testimony.
Tranquil Salvador III, one of the defense spokespersons, said the entire
nation should wait for Corona's explanations on his supposed 82 dollar bank
deposits and other allegations of corruption against him.
"It would be a historic one," Salvador told the Inquirer when asked to
describe the testimony of the first Chief Justice impeached by the House of
Representatives.
"I don't want to second-guess (Corona's) testimony. I don't want to elaborate
on it. But who knows. He may just spring a surprise during the proceedings," he
continued.
The prosecution lodged eight articles of impeachment against Corona for
alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and
corruption, but this had been pruned to three articles and Senate President Juan
Ponce Enrile further distilled the whole slew of charges to just one question:
Did the Chief Justice fudge entries in his statements of assets, liabilities and
net worth?
Sixteen votes in the 23-member chamber are needed to convict Corona.
After Corona's questioning by the prosecution and senator-judges, the two
panels will be given one hour to argue their respective positions after which,
Enrile said, the senators would be called immediately to announce their verdict.
Prayers for kinder senators
Rico Paolo Quicho, a member of the defense panel, said Corona's legal team
had been "preparing very hard" for the cross-examination of the prosecution
panel.
"We're ready to face the prosecutors. We're ready to lock horns with them.
We're willing to go 12 rounds against them," he said.
While the defense could deal with the prosecutors and interpose objections to
their questions, they could not debate with the senator-judges, some of whom had
shown bias and even helped the prosecution lawyers secure evidence they had
missed from witnesses during the trial that began on January 15.
Asked how they would deal with the senators, Quicho said: "We have started
praying. Hopefully, they would be kinder and that they would be gentle to us
because we can't object to their questions."
"We're just hoping for fairness and that they will wake up on the right side
of the bed today," he said.
"The Chief Justice understands that it would not be easy for him. He knows
that he will not only answer questions from senator-judges, but he had to
deliver his message to the public and explain the issues being thrown at him for
the past six months."
Salvador expressed confidence that Corona would be able to handle tough
questions.
Corona's ball game
"At this point in time, we have tirelessly prepared for this. But it would be
a different thing once he sits there. There are things which we cannot control.
It's his ball game now," Salvador said.
The lawyer said the defense panel expected Corona to undergo four to five
hours of grueling questioning.
Quicho said Corona would face the impeachment court "as somebody who is able
and ready to continue his stewardship of the Supreme Court."
"The Chief Justice would be respectful of the process and we hope the process
would also respect him," Quicho said. With reports from Gil
C. Cabacungan and Marrah Erika Lesaba, Inquirer Southern Luzon
FROM ABS-CBN
Senate sets rules on quizzing Corona By Ron
Gagalac, ABS-CBN News Posted at 05/21/2012 5:26 PM | Updated as of 05/22/2012
12:32 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Senate Majority Floor Leader Sen. Vicente Sotto
III on Monday said they have laid out some rules for the testimony of Chief
Justice Renato Corona during his impeachment trial on Tuesday.
Sotto said they will be stricter in the enforcement of the 2-minute rule for
senators in asking questions since it is the accused who is going to take the
witness stand.
"We will be stricter on the 2-minute rule. No manifestation allowed, just
questions," he said.
Sotto clarified that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile will be the one to
call the shots if it is necessary for a senator to have a time extension.
He also said there are no rules on who is going to ask the questions first.
He said it will be "first come, first serve" on who will inform the majority
leader first. He said there will be no limit as to the number of senators who
will ask questions to the Chief Justice.
They are hoping that his testimony will be finished in 2 days.
Another soft rule that has been agreed upon by senators is that each one of
them will "avoid unnecessary statement or issues involved or that may evolve
into controversy."
Sotto said the Senate sergeant-at-arms has been instructed to be strict with
the silence rule inside the session hall.
"Any rowdy cheering, untoward behavior will be meted out by an order from the
Senate president removing those persons or people in the gallery," he said.
During the Senate caucus on Monday afternoon, senators were also expected to
tackle the Supreme Court's restraining order against the opening of the
so-called dollar accounts of the chief justice at PSBank.
They were also expected to discuss the issue about Harvey Keh, who was asked
by the impeachment court to show cause on why he shouldn't be cited for
contempt.
"The Senate president will explain and announce everything tomorrow during
trial proper. No one authorized to discuss it except the Senate president,"
Sotto said.
He said amendments to the anti-money-laundering law was also discussed but
Sotto refused to reveal details about it.
FROM MANILA STANDARD
AQUINO EXPLAINS CJ TRIAL TO IGLESIA HEAD
Posted May 22nd, 2012 by Joyce Pangco Panares & filed under Main
Stories.
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III met with Iglesia Ni Cristo leader Eduardo Manalo
Monday morning to tell him and his group why the impeachment trial of Chief
Justice Renato Corona was necessary, his spokesman said.
The meeting came amid reports that the influential religious group had been
lobbying for Corona's acquittal, Edwin Lacierda said.
"We confirm that the President met with Ka Eduardo," Lacierda said.
"And if you are going to ask me if the impeachment was discussed, yes, the
impeachment was discussed because it is one of the burning issues of the day.
"The President explained to Ka Eduardo the reasons for the impeachment, that
this is part of his reform agenda."
Lacierda made his statement even as Corona brushed aside a report that the
Iglesia had been lobbying for his acquittal with some senators.
"I don't know about that," Corona told reporters.
"Their officials already said that they do not involved themselves in
politics, so I'm not very sure about the accuracy of that report."
Lacierda said it was Mr. Aquino who sought the meeting with Manalo at the
group's headquarters in Commonwealth, Quezon City.
He said there was nothing wrong about the timing of the "private" meeting
between Mr. Aquino and Manalo, which came a day before the chief magistrate was
to take the witness stand today, Tuesday, at the Senate impeachment court.
Lacierda said Mr. Aquino's meeting with Manalo was already being scheduled as
early as before Holy Week, but it was only on Monday that their schedules jibed.
"I would not have details on that," Lacierda said when asked if the President
was able to secure some assurance from the Iglesia that it will not move to
convince the senator-judges to acquit Corona.
"The purpose of the President is to touch base with his supporters, and you
don't need to get the support right now [on Corona's impeachment].
"The decision is not being made by the President. He's not going to rule on
the fate of the chief justice. It's going to be the senators who are going to
rule on the fate of the Chief Justice." With Rey E.
Requejo
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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