PHNO-HL: CUEVAS: CJ CONVINCED ME NOT TO QUIT TEAM / CJ TO ATTEND TRIAL FRIDAY

CUEVAS: CJ CONVINCED ME NOT TO QUIT
TEAM / CJ TO ATTEND TRIAL FRIDAY
MANILA, MAY
27, 2012 (PHILSTAR) By Alexis
Romero and Marvin Sy - Serafin Cuevas (photo) tried to leave as
lead defense counsel, but Chief Justice Renato Corona asked him to stay, the
retired Supreme Court Justice said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters after the impeachment proceedings, Cuevas said
"conflict of opinion" had prodded him to resign.
"Of course, sometimes, because of ill feelings, sometimes there is conflict
of opinion," he admitted.
"Kung wala na akong katuturan, pinakamagaling na hayaan niyo na akong
mag-resign (If I'm of no use anymore, it would be best to allow me to resign)."

Cuevas said he could not recall when exactly he tried to resign and what
prompted him to do it.
"I'm already old," he said.
Cuevas refused to say how Corona persuaded him to change his mind.
"That is confidential," he said. "That is between a lawyer and his client."

Cuevas said defense lawyers had differences with regard to the summoning of
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales before the impeachment court.
"We had arguments regarding that (summoning Morales as witness)," he said.
"Our main target was about the $10 million deposits."
Some defense lawyers wanted Morales to take the witness stand before the
complainants, he added.
Meanwhile, Cuevas said Corona's decision to leave the trial last Tuesday
without the impeachment court's approval could be misconstrued as an effort to
evade cross-examination.
"What I did not like was that he just left (without proper discharge)," he
said. "I was just in the middle of my manifestation and I was surprised (he was
gone)."
Cuevas said it would have been simpler had Corona just told him he was having
difficulty breathing.
"The night before (his appearance before the impeachment court) he did not
have dinner," he said.
"He also did not sleep well and he did not have his lunch the following day,
so it all piled up."
Cuevas said he has not talked to Corona about his action.
"We did not talk because he was rushed to the hospital," he said. "He
(Corona) is now under sedation." Cuevas said he could have informed Corona about
the possible negative impact of his sudden departure from the proceedings.
"Of course I would tell him that if he would consider a walkout, it would not
be good for us," he said. "They might think he does not want to be
cross-examined. But they are mere conjectures."
However, Cuevas said Corona had no intention to disrespect the impeachment
court.
"I told that in my manifestation," he said. "It was merely misconstrued."

On the other hand, the prosecution believes Corona walked out to avoid
cross-examination.
"Definitely, I think it's the all-time low for the Chief Justice," said
prosecution spokesman Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara.
"We did not think he would be this low, in fact, he's even lower."
"He really made sure that he would not be questioned by anyone, including
senator-judges and the prosecution," said prosecution spokesman Quezon Rep. Erin
Tañada.
Meanwhile, the defense denied reports that they are in disarray and some of
them tried to resign last Wednesday.
"Rumors of resignation have been circulating for a long time," said defense
spokesman Tranquil Salvador III. "There is no such thing."
Salvador branded as "unfair" the claim that Corona's lawyers are in disarray.

"This is an unfair statement," he said. "Why would we be in disarray when we
were able to present the Chief Justice and made his statement very very clear?"

Salvador belied rumors that the defense panel would soon resign.
"That has not reached our thoughts," he said.
"I can't blame you (media). You are always ahead in terms of your questions."

Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, impeachment court presiding
officer, lashed out at Cuevas and lawyer Jose Roy III for allowing their client
to disrespect his court, according to sources.
Salvador said Cuevas had sought an audience with Enrile and the
senator-judges inside the Senate lounge to ease the tension.
Enrile declined to discuss what went on inside the lounge but at least one
senator confirmed the account of the source.
Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Enrile was clearly "not happy at all" about
what Corona did and he let Cuevas and Roy know how he felt.
It was the senator-judges who called Cuevas to join them in the lounge to
explain what just happened, he added.
Cuevas explained that Corona was not feeling well and had to seek medical
attention, Marcos said.

Corona to attend trial on Friday - Cuevas The
Philippine Star Updated May 24, 2012 01:05 PM 54 comments to this post
MANILA, Philippines - Chief Justice Renato Corona will attend the
impeachment hearing on Friday, his legal counsel announced today.
Lawyer Serafin Cuevas announced that Corona will be returning to the witness
stand to comply with the deadline set by the Senate impeachment court.
The Senate impeachment court gave Corona until 2 p.m. Friday to return to the
witness stand for the direct and cross examinations by the defense and
prosecution panels.
Cuevas said that in his second visit to Corona at the Medical City in Pasig
City today, he was able to convince the chief magistrate to attend the
proceedings.
"He'll be there (impeachment court). I told him na importante bumalik siya at
magsama na lang ng doctor at magpaliwanag doon kung hindi niya kaya. At first,
ayaw nila, but I explained and he agreed to be there," Cuevas said.
The veteran lawyer and former Supreme Court associate justice said that
Corona is now in a stable condition, but is "still very weak."
Right after his controversial three-hour testimony before the impeachment
court on Tuesday afternoon, Corona walked out of the Senate session hall and
attempted to leave the legislative building.
In his statement, Corona signed a waiver to allow banks and state agencies to
disclose details about his assets including his foreign currency deposits on the
condition that the 188 lawmakers from the House of Representatives who signed
the impeachment complaint and Senator-judge Franklin Drilon to also execute a
similar waiver.
He later surfaced on a wheelchair with his lawyers and family claiming that
he had to abruptly leave the session hall to avoid throwing up and collapsing on
the Senate floor.
His lawyers said Corona suffered from hypoglycemia. He was later rushed to
Medical City and confined at the intensive care unit as his doctors suspect that
he suffered from a heart attack.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday set the oral arguments on
Monday next week.
Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said that the impeachment court's verdict
on the impeachment case of the chief justice may already be carried out right
after the oral arguments or the next day, Tuesday. with reports from Dennis
Carcamo, Edu Punay and Cheryl M. Arcibal
No heart attack
Meanwhile, doctors at the Medical City on Thursday announced that Corona did
not suffer from a heart attack on Tuesday.
"An acute myocardial infarction has been ruled out. His blood sugar and
kidney function are stable," Dr. Eugenio Jose Ramos, senior vice president for
Medical Services Group of The Medical City, said in a press conference.
Ramos, however, said that Corona should not be subjected to stress because
the chief justice suffering from a heart attack is highly likely.
Corona has been bypassed twice and is a diabetic for 20 years.
Ramos announced during the press conference that they are against Corona's
plan to return to the witness stand at the Senate on Friday.
"It is the consensus of the medical team that attending the Senate hearing
tomorrow still poses a risk to the CJ's cardiac status. Purely on the basis of
his medical condition. Therefore, the team has reservations about exposing him
to the risk of an acute coronary event tomorrow," he said.



Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi

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NEWS ONLINE
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