Corona camp wants prosecutors punished for presenting evidence to public

(Updated 1:30 p.m.) The camp of Chief Justice Renato Corona is asking the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, to punish the House prosecution team for disclosing to the public evidence supposed to be presented during the impeachment trial.

 

"CJ Corona strongly manifests his objection to the prosecution's unbridled dissemination of information or documents, which may not even be admissible in evidence ro relevant to the case," lawyer Jose Roy said in a six-page manifestation submitted to the Senate late Monday.

 

"He also manifests his conformity to the authority  of the Honorable Impeachment Court under Rule V in relation to Rule XVIII of the Senate rules of procedure on impeachment trials to issue or promulgate any interim or disciplinary measures to enforce and carry into effect its legal mandate," he added.

 

Section V of Senate Resolution 39, which contains rules on the impeachment trial, says "the Senate shall have power... to preserve order, and to punish in a summary way contempts of, and disobedience to, its authority, orders, mandates, writs, or judgments, and to make all lawful orders, rules, and regulations which it may deem essential or conducive to the ends of justice." At a press briefing, the House prosecution team dismissed Corona's move as a "mere delayong tactic."  “Ang tingin namin dito, it is an attempt to sidetrack the issue. It is a delaying tactic on the part of Chief Justice para lalong maantala ang kanyang trial,” said Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, one of the panel’s spokespersons. Nothing wrong?

 

Earlier, chief public prosecutor Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupas Jr. and members of his team showed to the media documents on Corona’s condominium unit in Taguig City. Tupas maintained that in doing so, they did not violate any rules. 

 

But Roy said the allegation of the possible illegal acquisition of the property "runs roughshod" over the Senate impeachment rules.

 

He specifically cited Section XVIII which prohibits prosecutors, senator-judges, the person impeached, their counsel and witnesses from “making any comments and disclosures in public pertaining to the merits of a pending impeachment trial.”

 

"It is a contemptible affront to the honorable impeachment court, whose constitutional mandate is precisely to pass judgment on the complaint," said Roy.

 

He likewise said that Tupas' attempt to justify his move by saying they have yet to be presented as prosecutors to the impeachment court was "unfortunate."

 

"Mr. Tupas has openly made known his participation in the impeachment trial and even identified himself as a principal author of the complaint," he said.

 

"As complainant and chief prosecutor, Mr. Tupas should be the first to honor the authority of the honorable impeachment court, which has long since commenced the exercise of its powers, to safeguard the integrity of the impeachment proceedings, and to strictly comply with the Senate rules...Mr. Tupas is neither beyond nor beneath these rules.  Whether he likes it or not, he is bound by them," he added.

 

Roy added that the stunt was probably made to "destroy the image of CJ Corona before the bar of public opinion and generate a negative public perception of his guilt ahead of the impeachment trial."

 

"No question about the malice and insidious motives can be heard, considering that the acquisition of the condominium unit was candidly admittted and explained in...the Answer filed by CJ Corona," he said.

 

Several senators have already admonished the move made by the House prosecution tema and warned them against issuing anymore comments regarding the case. — RSJ, GMA News