Corona lawyer cited for indirect contempt

MANILA, Philippines - For insinuating that senators could be bribed by Malacañang, a defense lawyer was cited yesterday for indirect contempt of the Senate impeachment court.

Lawyer Jose Roy III had told a press conference at Club Filipino in San Juan on Feb. 12 that he had heard reports that the Palace was offering senator-judges P100 million each in additional congressional pork allocation in exchange for voting for the conviction of Chief Justice Renato Corona in his impeachment trial.

The statement “suggests that this court could be paid into making a decision,” Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said yesterday. “The court feels that in effect, there is an implied suggestion that there is a quid pro quo in the votes to be obtained from the members of this court.”

Roy apologized to the impeachment court and said he accepted the contempt citation. His penalty will be determined at the next Senate caucus.

“This court must assert its dignity and honor in this proceeding,” Enrile said as yesterday’s trial drew to a close.

Lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas tried to make light of the situation, saying he feared Roy’s penalty might be “either life imprisonment or death.” Cuevas quickly apologized for his remark.