#CoronaTrial: Day 24 with video highlights

MANILA, Philippines – Here are the highlights of Day 24 of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. 

2:16 pm: Session starts. Roll call: 17 senator-judges present.

2:21 pm: Senator-judge Antonio Trillanes IV’s motion for impeachment court to send a written interrogatory to Supreme Court Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno is withdrawn.

2:22 pm: Rep. Neri Colmenares manifests, tells court they need to have two SC employees testify in connection to Article VII. He says the testimonies will only cover administrative matters. The prosecution panel also says they do not understand the SC order barring officials and employees to testify.

Enrile asks the prosecution: What should the impeachment court do if the SC employees don’t follow the subpoena? Colmenares says court could cite them for contempt. Discussion between Enrile and Colmenares on the issue.

Senator-judge Vicente Sotto III says they have just received the letter from SC requesting not to have their employees testify. He says the prosecution’s request is a bit early.

Colmenares says they (prosecution) would want to have Sereno as their witness. Enrile tells them: try inviting her first; if it doesn’t work then we could issue subpoena.

2:38 pm: Senator-judge Miriam Defensor-Santiago manifests. She tells court, prosecution wants Senate to be in a “collision course” with the Supreme Court. She proceeds to lecture prosecution on the matter. “This is not a question of ‘pataasan ng ihi'” between SC, Senate, she says.

Enrile says the issue on SC subpoenas could further delay the trial. He says impeachment court is carefully doing its job to avoid disrupting the system of government. 

2:53 pm: Court discusses issue on the testimony of the Philippine Airlines official. Enrile reiterates earlier decision not to allow the testimony.

2:59 pm: Clarificatory questions for prosecution, from Senator-judge Francis Escudero. Specifically, about the witnesses. Colmenares says they have not yet contacted Sereno and urge her to testify. Escudero says its the duty of the counsel to present witnesses.

Lacson asks prosecution, referring to asking Sereno to testify: Bakit kami ang susugod sa kinahihiya niyong gawin?

Santiago then blasts prosecution for stating a few weeks back about presenting “100” witnesses. “Irespeto niyo ang impeachment court,” she says. She goes on to lecture the prosecution, and also says her health is already affected.

3:14 pm: Senator-judge Joker Arroyo manifests. “You have the backing of no less than the President. You should have no problems getting witnesses.”

3:16 pm: Lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas comments on Escudero’s statements about his line of questioning. He says it is to prove the complaint was haphazardly done. 

Enrile then says the court has “wasted an hour” discussing the subpoena.

3:22 pm: One minute suspension as court awaits first witness for the day, former president Arroyo’s physician Juliet Cervantes.

3:28 pm: Session resumes. On the witness stand is Dr Juliet Gopez-Cervantes, attending physician of former president Gloria Arroyo. Direct examination by private prosecutor Arthur Lim.

She was brought to testify to on the health of the former president, specifically the records submitted to the Supreme Court before the deliberations on the temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Arroyo couple’s travels.

She testifies regarding the former leader’s medical records, specifically the medical certificate used by the former president in the TRO application. 

3:42 pm: Direct examination done. Cuevas asks Lim if the medical certificate is connected to the SC TRO; Lim answers yes.  

3:43 pm: Cervantes is discharged. One minute recess to wait for next witness.

3:47 pm: Session resumes. Next witness is Emma Abanador, from the Office of the Vice President. Direct examination by Rep Raul Daza. She will testify regarding the personnel record files of the Chief Justice while employed at the OVP under then-vice president Arroyo.

3:56 pm: Abanador discharged, no cross examination by defense. Next witness is Edmond Llosala, ABS-CBN cameraman. Direct examination by private prosecutor Al Parreno.

Llosala was called to testify on the video footage from November 15, 2011, during the coverage of the attempted departure of the Arroyos. His footage from that day is shown in court.

3:56 pm: Abanador discharged, no cross examination by defense. Next witness is Edmond Llosala, ABS-CBN cameraman. Direct examination by private prosecutor Al Parreno.

Llosala was called to testify on the video footage from November 15, 2011, during the coverage of the attempted departure of the Arroyos. His footage from that day is shown in court to show that the SC has set several conditions in the TRO for the Arroyos to comply with.

Cuevas questions the showing of the video, in particular the relevance to the case. Enrile allows witness to answer.

4:20 pm: Senator-judge Loren Legarda asks prosecution to provide senator-judges with a transcript of the videos.

4:22 pm: Two more short video clips taken by Llosala are shown in court.

4:26 pm: Session suspended.

 

– Rappler.com