Prosecution: Public won't tolerate further delays

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos will no longer tolerate any delays in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, the prosecution said yesterday.

Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, a prosecution spokesman, said the possibility of an acquittal is farfetched if Corona continues to refuse to testify in his trial.

“Filipinos will not tolerate anymore delaying tactics, including resort to technicalities and filing of temporary restraining orders,” he said.

“They will not, however, also tolerate deprivation of the defense’s right to present their evidence. The prosecution, as it has done from the time the defense started presenting its evidence has displayed liberality and often has not even done any cross-examination of witnesses of the defense.”

Quimbo said reports that the defense plans to have Justice Secretary Leila de Lima appear again before the impeachment court could be another move to prolong the trial.

“I cannot say the conviction is a certainty, but definitely if he does not show up, it makes highly improbable any chance of acquittal,” he said.

“What aggravates his situation is that he has been openly talking to the media, and in his public speeches about his defense as well as his commitment to show up at the trial and open his bank accounts. People’s expectations have been raised by the Chief Justice himself.”

Quimbo said the prosecution is prepared to demolish any evidence or argument the defense will hurl at them.

“(The defense) has not been able to present any single evidence that even diminishes our evidence,” he said.

“Even the real properties, the Chief Justice has not been able to explain why he only declared some of his real properties five years after he paid for them and title issued in his favor.

“Neither have the deposits been explained. On the contrary, instead of explaining the dollar accounts, he has restarted to having these blocked by the Supreme Court.”

Enrile, Angara speak on verdict

In Butuan City, two lawmaker-sons of two senator-judges have asked the public to accept any judgment on Corona’s impeachment trial.

Speaking to reporters, Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile, son of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, said the public must accept whatever judgment of the senator-judges.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, son of Sen. Edgardo Angara and prosecution spokesman, agrees with Enrile.

Enrile and Angara were guests in separate activities in Butuan City yesterday.

Enrile said his father has shared thoughts with him, being a legislator himself.

“The Senate sitting as an impeachment court vowed to end the impeachment trial by June 7, 2012,” he said. — With Ben Serrano