9 senators veterans of Erap impeach trial

MANILA, Philippines - Nine out of 23 senators sitting as judges in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona are veterans of the trial of former President Joseph Estrada on corruption charges.

These are Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Vicente Sotto III, Joker Arroyo, Franklin Drilon, Gregorio Honasan, Loren Legarda, Sergio Osmeña III, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Manuel Villar Jr.

A veteran lawmaker, Enrile has been regarded as one of the legal experts in the Senate. He said the impeachment case against Corona would be an “intellectual combat” between prosecutors seeking Corona’s conviction and a defense panel led by ex-justice Serafin Cuevas seeking his acquittal from charges.

Santiago, also known for her legal prowess as a former judge and a self-styled constitutionalist, has recently been accepted as a judge of the International Criminal Court. She is known for being strict during Senate hearings, including her ordering noisy spectators out of the session hall during the Estrada impeachment trial.       

Drilon likewise has vast credentials as a lawyer and lawmaker. He obtained his law degree from the University of the Philippines and placed third in the bar exams in 1969. He worked for four months at the Ledesma, Saludo and Associates, then joined Sycip, Salazar, Luna, Manalo & Feliciano Law Offices as associate lawyer for four years. The prestigious Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz (ACCRA) law firm noticed his talents and lost no time in securing his services. He retired from ACCRA in 1986 as managing partner to join the government.

Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., a former Speaker, became part of history when he fast-tracked the transmission of the articles of impeachment to the Senate in November 2000.  

Villar is now at the helm of one of the most successful real state companies in the country.

Arroyo, then representative of Makati, was part of the House prosecution team. In a recent interview, he said he was “disturbed” by the fast transmission of the articles of impeachment to the Senate.              

“In the Erap case, although there were signatures of congressmen that were more than one third of the House membership, there were committee hearings before the Justice Committee elevated the Articles of Impeachment to the plenary for the Speaker to announce its transmittal to the Senate,” he said.            

Honasan and Sotto had cautioned the public against pre-judging Corona prior to the conduct of the impeachment trial.

They said it is important that the impeachment proceedings against Corona should be finished so that Filipinos can learn from history. Sotto noted that Estrada’s trial was unfinished because the prosecutors walked out.