Impeachment prosecutors ask Senate to subpoena four media personalities
Impeachment prosecutors on Friday asked the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, to subpoena four media men from ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation: Danny Piedad, Jay Salonga, Ruben Bautista and Edmond Losalla.
The testimony of the media personalities will fall under Article VII of the verified impeachment complaint, according to the motion signed by lead prosecutor Rep. Neil Tupas Jr.
Article VII accused Chief Justice Renato Corona of showing favor to former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when the Supreme Court granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the watch list order against Arroyo.
According to the subpoena, the witnesses will be asked to “identify and authenticate the video recording … [of] the attempted escape of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on 15 February 2011.”
The witnesses will also be asked to testify about the "manner of compliance on the conditions set in the TRO, including the manner of securing payment of bond, statements made by lawyers of Gloria-Macapagal-Arroyo and Juan Miguel Arroyo on the flight bookings and payment of bond,” the prosecution said.
It added that the witnesses will also be asked on “the statements made by the Public Information Office of the Supreme Court relating to the TRO.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court clerk of court Enriquetta Vidal was requested anew to testify in the impeachment trial for the prosecution panel.
The subpoena said Vidal will testify regarding her “personal knowledge” on the “speedy processing of the Petitions of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo… [and the] extension of working hours of the Supreme Court on 15 November 2011.”
The Supreme Court ordered the TRO on Arroyo’s watch list on November 15 last year.
The testimony of the media personalities will fall under Article VII of the verified impeachment complaint, according to the motion signed by lead prosecutor Rep. Neil Tupas Jr.
Article VII accused Chief Justice Renato Corona of showing favor to former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when the Supreme Court granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the watch list order against Arroyo.
According to the subpoena, the witnesses will be asked to “identify and authenticate the video recording … [of] the attempted escape of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on 15 February 2011.”
The witnesses will also be asked to testify about the "manner of compliance on the conditions set in the TRO, including the manner of securing payment of bond, statements made by lawyers of Gloria-Macapagal-Arroyo and Juan Miguel Arroyo on the flight bookings and payment of bond,” the prosecution said.
It added that the witnesses will also be asked on “the statements made by the Public Information Office of the Supreme Court relating to the TRO.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court clerk of court Enriquetta Vidal was requested anew to testify in the impeachment trial for the prosecution panel.
The subpoena said Vidal will testify regarding her “personal knowledge” on the “speedy processing of the Petitions of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo… [and the] extension of working hours of the Supreme Court on 15 November 2011.”
The Supreme Court ordered the TRO on Arroyo’s watch list on November 15 last year.
Articles of impeachment
The lawmakers impeached Corona in December last year on the following grounds:
- partiality and subservience in cases involving the Arroyo administration;
- failure to disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN);
- issuance of flip-flopping decisions in final and executory cases;
- issuance of the “status quo ante” order against the House of Representatives in the case concerning the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez;
- decision in favor of gerrymandering in the cases involving 16 newly-created cities, and the promotion of Dinagat Island into a province;
- improper creation of the SC ethics committee
- granting temporary restraining order in favor of former President Arroyo; and
- failure and refusal to account for the Judicial Development Fund (JDF) and special allowance for the judiciary collections.
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