Amid failing grades and nasty remarks that the House prosecution panel has been getting from the public, Malacañang appeared “happy and satisfied” with the way the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona has been going — thanks to the senator-judges who delivered what the con-gressmen-prosecutors failed to deliver.
At a press briefing yesterday, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also said that Malacañang doesn’t see anything illegal with the idea of the 188 congressmen who signed the impeachment to tackle the eight articles of impeachment at the grassroots.
“We commend the able leadership of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile as presiding officer of the Impeachment Court a week into the historic trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. By upholding the rule of law and giving both the defense and prosecution panels leeway in presenting their cases, Senate President Enrile has judiciously steered the trial toward its rightful course — the pursuit of truth and accountability.”
Lacierda likewise cited two senator-jurors who apparently made up for the poor performance of the prosecutors.
“In line with the presiding officer, the senator-jurors have likewise expressed their overwhelming desire to shed light on the allegations and appraise the evidence presented despite the incessant and at times unproductive objections.”
Senators Franklin Drilon and Ralph Recto’s acting as the prosecution lawyers at the impeachment trial cleared the road for the prosecution witnesses to testify to submitted “vital documents” that the prosecutors deemed as very significant in pinning down
the Chief Magistrate, as well as getting the Bureau of Internal Revenue chief Kim Heneres to name the Corona family members and contents of their Income Tax Returns and even the amounts paid.
This even after the ruling of presiding judge Enrile disqualifying Henares to testify on this matter.
“Yesterday, through the questioning of senator-jurors, many questions which otherwise could not have been asked were answered regarding the disproportion in Mr. Corona’s assets and income. We are pleased that Mr. Corona has already given us a measure by which to assess ill-gotten wealth and also how to appraise the legal technicalities raised by the defense. As ponente of the landmark Supreme Court ruling entitled “Republic of the Philippines versus the Sandiganbayan and Ferdinand Marcos, as represented by his heirs,” Mr. Corona said the burden lies with the defendant to prove his wealth was acquired through legal means”
The illegal wealth issue has already been blacked out of Article 2, 2.4, as ruled by the court, but apparently, the Palace insists on it.
Lacierda also shrugged off allegations of political allies at the Senate as biased, even as Lacierda stressed that judges even in regular courts are not prohibited to ask questions to witnesses, if only to be enlightened on a testimony or evidence that is being submitted for marking and admission of the court.
Meanwhile, it’s the last straw insofar as the defense panel representing the Chief Justice is concerned over Drilon’s partisan bias toward the prosecution.
The so-called Ilonggo show was cut short yesterday after that province’s most vocal legislator, Miriam Defensor Santiago was forced to withdraw due to a medical condition.
In a 15-page motion to inhibit, Corona’s defense lawyers led by retired SC associate Justice Serafin Cuevas sought the inhibition of Drilon for partiality.
“The actions of Senator Judge Drilon have sparked controversy even among the members of the viewing public. It cannot be doubted that many persons perceive the conduct of Senator Judge Drilon very disconcerting because of the obviously partisan character he exhibited,” said the defense lawyers in their petition.
“The initiative displayed by Senator-Judge Drilon, can be construed as unequivocal demonstration of his allegiance to the cause of the Prosecution, or at the very least, a lack of cold neutrality and impartiality,” it stressed.
In their motion, the defense counsels cited at least two instances during the impeachment trial wherein Drilon, who was acting as one of the senator-judges, allegedly showed partiality in favor of the House-led prosecution panel. “It appears, however, that the Prosecution found an ally in Senator-judge Drilon,” they claimed.
Corona’s defense lawyers said Drilon is helping the prosecution team by exerting pressure against SC clerk of court Enriqueta Vidal that resulted in the production of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth of the SC chief.
The defense lawyers also pointed out situation during the next impeachment session when Drilong allegedly caused the introduction of evidence from a document intended to cast doubts on the role of Chief Justice about the acquisition of property by his daughter Maria Carla.
They claimed that Senator Drilon “made sure to highlight” such fact to suggest that the SC chief was the beneficial owner of the property.
“It is beyond cavil this turn of events has put in question the integrity of the proceedings and members of the Impeachment Court. Every measure must be taken to guard against the erosion of public confidence in the impeachment trial of CJ Corona, lest the proceedings be rendered legally vunerable,” the petition said.
“In open court Senator Judge Drilon began to propound questions more akin to cross-examination and loaded with veiled threats, securing for the prosecution what they failed to do by themselves,” it added.
Defense spokesman Lawyer Tranquilino Salvador III told reporters in a news briefing that they filed the motion for inhibition against Drilon before the Senate secretariat on Thursday afternoon despite the possible adverse outcome of their actions.
Likewise yesterday, an internet photograph went viral pointing out that Drilon had been a godfather of House prosecution panel head Niel Tupas III and had been business partners in undertakings in Iloilo.
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