MANILA, Philippines - Senators who will sit as judges in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona on Wednesday admonished the prosecution and defense panels to stop discussing the merits of the case when the trial has not started.
In a statement, Sen. Panfilo Lacson scolded what he called an "undisciplined" public presentation of evidence in the upcoming impeachment trial against Corona.
"If we allow such undisciplined public presentation of evidence by any party in utter disregard of the ethics of their legal profession to continue, the Senate may lose control of the situation and I am certain it will damage not just the Senate as an impeachment court but the sacredness of the whole impeachment process as well," he said.
Similarly, Sen. Francis Escudero said the rules of impeachment state that the respondents, the complainants and their witnesses are called on to refrain from talking about the merits of the case.
"This is not sub judice. The restraint is on the parties involved in the case...There is rhyme and reason. Both sides are now calling each other liars. If they have something to say, say it before the impeachment court. Hopefully, they will realize they are bound by the rules of decorum. They cannot use gutter language so to speak," he said in an ANC "Headstart" interview.
The Senate, convening as an impeachment court, will start on January 16 the impeachment trial of Corona, who the House of Representatives impeached last December.
Lacson said some parties that continue to make public comments or so-called "disclosures" on the case threaten to make a mockery of the proceedings.
"We should not allow such mockery to go unchecked. Either we throw our impeachment rules out of the window or straight to their faces," he said.
House prosecutors on Tuesday said Corona and his wife of buying a 303.5-square meter unit in The Bellagio in The Fort, Taguig City for P14.51 million in December 2009.
Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, head of the 11-man prosecution panel of the House of Representatives, said prosecutors will find out whether Corona declared the acquisition in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN). Corona's non-disclosure of his SALN is included in the articles of impeachment.
Supreme Court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez declined to comment on the matter. Corona, however, admitted in his answer to the eight articles of impeachment that he and his wife had acquired a 300-sq m “apartment” in The Fort.
Up to prosecutors to prove it
In the interview, Escudero noted there is already an existing Supreme Court resolution on the non-disclosure of the justices' SALNs to shield them from intimidation, harassment and fishing expeditions.
Because of this, he said the House prosecution team "must also prove why lay the blame on the presiding justice or the entire court."
He noted: "Never ask a question that you don't know the answer to. Mahirap magtanong na hindi mo alam ang isasagot. I think that is a basic rule that most litigators follow. Mahirap magbato ng alegasyon ng hindi mo alam ang isasagot."
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