Enrile to prosecutors: Justify your requests for subpoenas

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Thursday advised the prosecution team to justify requests to summon documents and individuals to the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.   “We cannot just subpoena everybody. You have to indicate to us the relevancy of those things that must be subpoenaed,” Enrile told lead prosecutor Niel Tupas Jr. during the 11th day of the trial.   The Senate President, who presides over the trial, made this statement after Tupas asked the court to approve some of their subpoenas to which the defense panel did not raise any objection.   The court cannot hastily decide on issuing summons because prosecution “needs to lay the basis for the subpoena first,” Enrile said.   “I assume that you must have some semblance of evidence that you can present to this court as a basis for requesting that subpoena,” he said.   He cited the prosecution’s request to subpoena some documents from the Supreme Court (SC).   “We have to observe the separateness and co-equalness of the three branches of government,” he said.   Corona is currently facing charges of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution before the Senate.   'Extraordinary proceeding'   Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, one of prosecution’s spokespersons, however, said that the Senate should grant their requests to subpoena SC officials and documents, since the impeachment trial is an “extraordinary proceeding.”   “This is one of those occasions one branch is allowed to evaluate and cross over to the next,” he said at a press briefing after Thursday’s trial.   He also defended prosecution’s request to summon some of Corona’s bank accounts, which the defense said may violate the chief magistrate’s right to privacy.   “Mas mataas ang interes ng taong bayan sa accountability. Gusto natin malaman ang totoo,” he added.   Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada, another prosecution spokesman, said that the panel will comply with Enrile’s orders and provide the bases for summoning those records next week. — VS, GMA News