Lawyers told: The court is not a classroom

MANILA, Philippines - Come to court prepared.

This was the advice of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to lawyers of the prosecution and the defense who seemed to have been groping through the first week of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Enrile, the presiding officer in the trial, has been generally patient during the proceedings but has shown signs of exasperation at certain times.

At yesterday’s hearing, Enrile was prompted to instruct the lawyers to be prepared in their arguments rather than playing it by ear.

“When you step into the courtroom, you are on your own. You have to be prepared. You must be ready to think on your feet. You cannot go to the library. You cannot consult anybody. You have to use your knowledge of the laws and the rules and your preparation,” Enrile stressed.

He said the impeachment court is not a classroom for the lawyers and that they should always be prepared before they step into the courtroom.

This was evident during last Tuesday’s trial when Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., lead prosecutor, asked Enrile to give them more flexibility in the application of the rules.