PHNO-HL: SENATE ORDERS DOJ CHIEF LEILA DE LIMA TO APPEAR AS CJ WITNESS

SENATE ORDERS DOJ CHIEF LEILA DE LIMA
TO APPEAR AS CJ WITNESS

[2010 PHOTO -
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, left, smiles during a photo session
reenacting the oath taking with new Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and her
family at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on Thursday,
July 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Aaron
Favila)]
MANILA,
MAY 8, 2012
(INQUIRER) By MARIO B. CASAYURAN and
ROLLY T. CARANDANG - Resuming the impeachment trial of embattled Chief Justice
Renato C.Corona, the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, directed yesterday
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima to appear again, this time
as witness of the defense panel.
This came after Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, presiding officer of the
Senate impeachment trial court, denied a motion of the prosecution panel to
block her appearance as defense witness since she has already testified as
prosecution witness.
As this developed, the panel said they respect Senator Miriam Defensor
Santiago's claim that the pieces of evidence related to the alleged
irregularities in the sale of lot owned by Basa-Guidote Enterprises, Inc.
(BGEI), represented by Corona's wife Cristina, are "irrelevant" to the trial but
said it was just an opinion of the lady senator and not of all senator-judges.

De Lima appeared before the trial court last March as witness on the
controversial issuance by the Supreme Court late last year of a temporary
restraining order (TRO) allowing the controversial aborted departure of former
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and former First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike"
Arroyo.
After her appearance, the defense panel headed by retired Supreme Court
Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas also wanted De Lima to appear as defense
witness.
She, however, conveyed her regrets for her to comply with the Senate subpoena
for her to appear lat March 22.
De Lima said that while she was willing to appear before the Senate
impeachment court, her further should be dispensed with since the matters she is
being asked to testify on by the defense have already been covered by her direct
testimony when she appeared as witness for the prosecution.
She also said that "such matters should have been brought up by the defense
during their cross examination of her," Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III
said in reading the De Lima letter to the Senate impeachment court in
yesterday's resumption of the trial.
After a six-week Lenten recess, the trial of Corona resumed yesterday, its
35th day.



Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi

© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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