Defense team takes battle to public fora

CEBU, Philippines - Chief Justice Renato Corona is not taking the witness stand when the impeachment trial against him resumes on Monday.

Lawyer Jose Roy III, one of Corona’s defense counsels, said the evidence presented by the prosecution panel does not require the Corona to take the witness stand.

“It doesn’t make sense. There is no evidence. The Chief Justice will just testify just to satisfy the sense of curiosity and drama on the part of the public, we will not allow that to happen to our client,” Roy said during a press conference in Cebu yesterday.

The defense team was in Cebu yesterday in response to an invitation from several groups supporting Corona. During the press conference there were shirts printed with the phrase, “Justice not vengeance” were distributed to those in attendance.

The members of the defense panel were hopping from one province to another to explain to the public the impeachment charges against the Chief Justice. The members of the defense team said they have been to Bacolod and are scheduled to visit Davao and Zamboanga after here.

Lawyer Tranquil Salvador, another member of the defense panel, said they will be presenting 16 witnesses including Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. A subpoena was already sent to De Lima for her to testify on the defiance of the temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court.

De Lima earlier defied SC’s TRO on the watch list order against former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

“We will give our best and explain our case to the public. With the dropping of the five articles of impeachment of the prosecution clearly shows that the complaint against the Chief Justice has no basis at all,” said another defense lawyer Rico Paulo  Quicho. — (FREEMAN)