Defense blames prosecution for not clarifying Corona’s ‘palusot’

The defense camp on Tuesday turned the tables on the prosecution team, saying the prosecutors themselves should have clarified with Chief Justice Renato Corona his alleged “palusot” or alibi to supposedly escape conviction.

 

“Bakit hindi niyo siya kinompronta? Bakit niyo kami hinaharap ng explanation sa palusot samantalang pumunta naman diyan si Chief Justice?” defense lawyer Jose Roy III said in an interview on GMA News TV’s “News To Go.”

 

Roy added that the prosecution was afraid to cross-examine Corona since such a move could have established the chief justice’ credibility.

 

“Kung talagang mali itong mga sinasabi niya [Corona], sana diniretso niyo na sa witness stand. Ito ‘yung prosesong kinikilala naming para pahindian kung ano man ang sinabi ng testigo,” he said.

 

 

 

Deputy lead public prosecutor Rodolfo Fariñas, who enumerated Corona’s supposed “palusot” during his closing statement on Monday, however, said that the prosecution chose not to interrogate the chief justice because of his health condition. Corona was brought to The Medical City on Tuesday last week after his testimony due to any episode of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar level.

 

“Paano namin icross examine e pumasok sa witness stand nang naka-wheelchair. Nagpa-ospital with all the drama,” Fariñas said in the same television interview.

 

He added that the prosecution also waived their right to cross-examine because the panel believed that Corona’s testimony only constituted “hearsay.”

 

Fariñas likewise said that he saw first hand how Corona, during his testimony, struggled to find an alibi for his non-declarations in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).

 

“Ako lang kasi ako ang pinakamalapit kay chief justice noong nagtetestify siya. When he was explaining in his monologue for the hours, nakikita mo naman na nagpapalusot talaga e. He was looking for an excuse… I know one when I see one,” he said.

 

The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to hand down its historic decision on Corona’s case on Tuesday afternoon. — with Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News