THE Senate court on Wednesday scheduled final oral arguments by the defense and prosecution panels in the impeachment case against Chief Justice Renato Corona on Monday, May 27, 2012, and a vote by the senator-judges soon after.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said Corona's defense panel has until Friday this week to complete the submission of their evidence, and thereafter, rest its case.
The court's decisions were announced even as Corona – who is reportedly at the intensive care unit of The Medical City for hypoglycemia and a heart condition  – failed to show up at the hearing.

Lawyers of the defense and prosecution panels had settled down in their assigned seats with five minutes gone from the 2 p.m. start of the hearing but there was still no signs of Corona.

The senator-judges started filing in minutes later. Sen. Bong Revilla led the prayer, saying that the people and  history will judge the senator-judges, too, hence their resolve to face up to their duty with courage and integrity. Twenty-two of the 23 senators were present.

Corona lead defense lawyer Serafin Cuevas said he went to the hospital where Corona is now confined hoping to bring him to court so he can continue his testimony and sudmit to direct and cross examination.

“Unluckily we were not able to talk to the chief justice… but only spoke with Mrs. Cristina Corona and daughter Carla,” Cuevas said.  “The stumbling block…is his physical and mental condition …because we are fully convinced he cannot testify… In fact, he cannot even stand up, Your Honor.”

Cuevas said the defense had obtained a medical certificate on Corona's condition.

On the “alleged walkout,” Cuevas asked for the court to investigate first before condemning him.

Corona's phyisician said Corona may be ready to testify by Monday, Cuevas said. But Enrile said the court will rule on the matter.

Lead prosecutor Niel Tupas Jr. said the prosecution intends to subject Corona to cross-examination.

Tupas asked if the defense will still do a direct examination of Corona to which Cuevas replied “Yes,” and after that, the cross-examination can proceed.

If Corona is willing to return for cross-examination, then perhaps the defense could skip direct examination, Tupas asked. Cuevas, however, insisted he still had to do a direct examination of Corona.

To settle the discourse, Enrile ruled that the defense has only until Friday to present its evidence, and by Monday, the oral arguments will start. The court will not hold a session on Thursday.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano asked if Corona would present documentary evidence such as bank records to support the credibility of the statement he delivered before the court on Tuesday.

Senator Francis Escudero III asked if Cuevas had possession of the waiver of confidentiality of Corona's bank records to which Cuevas replied he did not.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada asked if lead prosecutor Tupas was willing to sign a similar waiver that Corona had set as a condition for th eopening of his accounts. Tupas said the prosecutors see Corona's challenge as a “diversionary move” and they see no need to sign it.

Enrile butted in to reiterate the rulings of the court on the deadlines for the oral arguments and the vote on th eimpeachment case.

“Friday at 2 o clock in the afternoon to present your evidence… after that we will consider your case as submitted,” he told Cuevas. “Monday oral arguments, and at the latest on Tuesday, the case will be considered submitted for voting. So ruled,” Enrile said.

The court gave one hour each for the defense and prosecution panels  to deliver their opening and closing statements, with the time spread among any number of speakers they will choose to represent the panels.

The senator-judges were allowed two minutes each to explain their vote, subject to the decision of the presiding officer for time extension.

PRESIDING OFFICER Juan Ponce Enrile issued a stern warning to defense counsels and Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona to show respect to the senator-judges who were hearing the impeachment complaint against him after Corona walked out of the session hall Tuesday afternoon.

Defense counsel Serafin Cuevas was quick to mollify Enrile, saying that Corona was forced to leave because he was suffering from hypoglycemia, or low sugar levels in the blood, chest pains, difficulty in breathing, and dizziness.

Enrile had immediately ordered the locking of all doors of the Senate after Corona walked out of the session hall after delivering an opening statement that lasted more than two hours.

After half an hour, Corona was wheeled back into the session hall on a wheelchair, his tie loosened and his coat removed. Corona had reportedly gone to the Senate basement where his vehicles had been parked.

Enrile was clearly angered by the incident, and proceeded to berate Cuevas while Corona sat in his wheelchair with his head bowed and his eyes closed.

Enrile pointed out to Cuevas that the senate impeachment court had shown courtesy to Corona by allowing him to speak for more than three hours.

“I have high respect for the Chief Justice and I have higher respect for the institution that he represents, but I equally demand respect for the institution that I represent and I am not going to allow any slight, any abuse of authority against this court,” Enrile said.

Enrile brushed aside explanations from Cuevas that Corona was suffering a medical condition. Enrile said Corona could have just excused himself formally.

“The Chief Justice knows the decorum in court. He could have said he is not feeling well, may I be excused by the court? The fact is that he said, I am the Chief Justice and I want to be excused,” Enrile said.

Enrile also warned Cuevas that if Corona does not want to be subjected to direct and cross examination, then the impeachment court would be forced to strike out his statements before the court, and rule on the basis of evidence already on the record.

Cuevas was profusely apologetic, and asked for forgiveness in behalf of his client.

To this, Enrile, in deference to Corona’s condition, agreed to defer the trial to Wednesday.

AN ANGRY PRESIDING OFFICER Juan Ponce Enrile berated defense counsels for the actions of their client, Chief Justice Renato Corona after he walked out of the impeachment trial Tuesday afternoon.

Enrile said the impeachment court had given Corona as much leeway and courtesy as was expected for the head of a coequal branch of government. But in return, Enrile said he expected Corona to show some respect as well to the impeachment court.

Corona had walked out of the impeachment court after delivering a two hour tirade against President Benigno S. Aquino III, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, and the members of the House of Representatives who signed the impeachment complaint against him.

video from government TV network NBN4

SUPREME COURT Chief Justice Renato Corona turned the tables on his accusers by publicly signing a waiver allowing the disclosure of all his bank and land assets, and challenging his accusers to do the same thing.

In wrapping up his lengthy opening statement that took up most of the hearing day, Corona surprised everyone by taking out a waiver and signing it in front of the senator-jurors.

The waiver, Corona said, “authorizes all banking institutions to disclose to the public any and all bank documents pertaining to all peso and foreign currency deposit accounts under my name.”

“I authorize the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Anti Money Laundering Council, and the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Land Registration Authority to disclose to the public any and all information that may show my assets liabilities and net worth, business interests, and financial connections to include those of my spouse,” Corona said.

In addition, Corona authorized the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court to release his statements of assets liabilities and net worth from 2002 to 2011 to the public. Previously, the Supreme Court had refused to disclose to the public the SALNs of court officials and employees, claiming they could be placed in danger.

However, Corona also threw in a surprise twist to his waiver; he asked all the 188 congressmen who signed the impeachment complaint against him to also sign a similar waiver, effectively revealing their assets to the public as well. In addition, Corona challenged Senator Franklin Drilon to sign a similar waiver.

Corona said that he will hold on to his waiver and will only submit it to the proper authorities after all 188 congressmen and Senator Drilon have signed a similar waiver.

“I am humbly asking all 188 representatives led by the prosecutors, and Senator Drilon to join me in a moment of truth as a gesture of transparency and reconciliation,” Corona said. “Hinihingi ito ng bayan. Let us face the people together. The nation is at a standstill. Our people are watching all of us.”

“And now, the Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines wishes to be excused,” Corona said.
Corona then stood up and walked out of the session hall, to the surprise of all.

Presiding Officer Juan Ponce Enrile appeared irritated with the move, and ordered all the doors of the Senate closed. By the time the order was given, Corona had already stepped out of the session hall, and was reportedly in the Senate basement where the vehicles are usually parked. Defense counsel Serafin Cuevas for his part said that Corona merely needed some time for personal reasons, as he had been on the witness stand for several hours.

video by government TV station NBN4

SUPREME COURT Chief Justice Renato Corona today made his own powerpoint presentation before the impeachment court to debunk charges that he had amassed up to $12 million in 82 dollar accounts in eight different banks, as charged by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales.

Corona said his powerpoint presentation was based on the same document that Morales had presented to the impeachment court as the basis for her own powerpoint presentation last week. Interestingly, Corona’s interpretation of the AMLC report was vastly different from that of Morales.

“The analysis of the AMLC report shows many accounts were already closed and the funds transferred to settlement accounts,” Corona told the court. “Each time a time deposit would mature and be rolled over, a new account would be created or consolidated to make a new one to earn higher interest.”

“Inuulit ko po sa taumbayan, wala po akong 82 dollar accounts. I do not have 82 dollar accounts as charged by the Ombudsman. The alleged AMLC report itself, contrary to the Ombudsman’s misleading representations, will show that there are only four dollar accounts by December 2012. Four, and not 82.”

In his powerpoint presentation, Corona showed a pie chart made up of the several dollar bank accounts that he allegedly owns, as indicated in the AMLC report. One by one, Corona explained how the bank accounts were closed and consolidated in another bank account.

For example, Corona said the Bank of the Philippine Islands Acropolis branch had seven bank accounts. “All these bank accounts in Acropolis were closed as early as 2004 and 2005, and transferred to BPI Tandang Sora and PSBank Cainta. Thus there were no longer bank accounts in Acropolis,” Corona said.

For the BPI Tandang Sora branch, Corona said all the accounts were closed by 2007, and then transferred to BPI San Francisco del Monte.

“Paliit ng paliit na ang pie,” Corona said as he erased portions of the pie chart to show the bank accounts that had already been closed.

“Hence, contrary to the Ombudsman’s testimony, the alleged AMLC report shows only four dollar accounts as of December 2011,” Corona said.

These accounts, Corona said, are:
BPI San Francisco del Monte 3244108104
Allied Bank 1582002676
and PSBank accounts 0141024292 and 0131002826

“Ayan po ang natira sa sinasabi niyang one big pie ni Ombudsman Morales,” Corona said.

“Meron po akong tanong kay Ombudsman Carpio Morales. Ginang Ombudsman, Kayo po ba ay pinapatulog ng konsyensya ninyo kung meron kayo nun. Alam mo naman na wala akong $10-12 million US dollar deposits at 82 bank accounts.”

Corona said he did not declare the dollar accounts in his statements of assets liabilities and net worth because they were protected by republic Act 6426 or the foreign currency deposits act which protects foreign currency deposits with an absolute veil of confidentiality.

video from government station NBN4

SUPREME COURT Chief Justice Renato Corona today admitted investing his family’s resources in foreign exchange, saying this was as a result of the bitter wrangling of his wife’s family in several property disputes.

In the second part of his lengthy opening statement before the senate impeachment court, Corona said his family had preferred to make cash investments instead of dabbling in properties because of the bad experience of his wife Cristina Roco-Corona.

“Mahirap intindihin ito kung di ko ibabahagi sa inyo ang masaklap na nangyari sa pamilya ng aking asawa,” Corona told the court.

“Itong experience ng pamilya ng misis ko ang dahilan kung bakit wala kaming masyadong hilig mag invest sa properties, at ininvest instead sa foreign exchange,” Corona said.

It was the first time that Corona acknowledged, at least indirectly, investing in foreign exchange. Earlier, prosecutors had tried to pin Corona down on allegations that he owned several significant dollar accounts in Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) and the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), but were stymied by the foreign currency deposits act that shrouded all foreign currency deposits under a veil of absolute confidentiality.

Then last week, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales stunned senator-jurors by disclosing the existence of 82 dollar accounts allegedly owned by Corona. Morales said they had computed transactions amounting to $12 million in the alleged Corona accounts. The data, Morales said, was based on an investigation by the Anti Money Laundering Council.

“Ininvest nalang namin sa foreign exhcnage para hindi mawalan ng halaga at madali paghatihatian kapag may mangyari sa amin, walang problema at walang inggitan,” he said.

Corona said he was not comfortable telling the public about the bitter family feud. However, he said he no longer had any choice as his wife’s family had been painted in a very bad light.

Corona said the real reason for the family feud was the ownership of a two and a half hectare property in Libis, Quezon City, now “conservatively” worth P2.5 billion.

Corona said that his wife’s father Jose Mario Basa III had somehow registered the property under his sole name, to the disadvantage of Cristina Corona’s mother Asuncion Basa-Roco.

Corona said this showed that his wife’s side of the family was really the victim, and not the oppressor.

IMPEACHED SUPREME COURT Chief Justice Renato Corona accused the Aquino administration and House prosecutors of abusing the Constitution and the principles of due process in order to look for evidence to pin him down.

“Binaboy nila ang proseso ng Saligang Batas para yurakan ang aking karapatan,” Corona told the impeachment court.

Corona said prosecutors abused laws on foreign currency deposits, as well as the laws governing the operation of the Anti Money Laundering Council or AMLA. As well, Corona said the government abused his right to due process.

“Nakakabahala po ito,” Corona said.

“Kung talagang malakas ang kasi, bakit kailangang magimbento ng ebidensya. Sagutin ninyo ang taumbayan, bakit kelangan ng black propaganda,” Corona said.

Presiding officer Juan Ponce Enrile broke in thrice during Corona’s lengthy address to ask him to get to his point.

“Mawalang galang po ginoong Chief Justice,” Enrile said. “Kami po ay nagaantay na sabihin ninyo ang inyong pakay. Sana kung maari ay iaddress ninyo ang issues dito para tapusin na natin.”

Enrile however added that the senate impeachment court was willing to exercise “liberality” in favor of Corona.

Prosecution lawyer Mario Bautista also objected to the lengthy address of Corona, saying the Chief Justice was going into issues that should be addressed during the court proceedings. Bautista said Corona was making accusations without being challenged in a cross examination.

Corona said the only reason that President Benigno S. Aquino III could be so intent on having him impeached was because of the Supreme Court decision against the Cojuangco family in the case of Hacienda Luisita.

“Matindi ang galit ng hacienderong Pangulo,” Corona said.

“Sa ating kasalukuyang administrasyon, hindi po lahat ng hindi kaalyado ay kalaban, at hindi lahat ng hindi kasama ay hindi pwedeng maging katuwang.”

“Hindi porket di magkapareho ng kulay ay hindi na pilipino,” Corona added. ”

At one point, an emotional Corona paused for several minutes to regain his composure.