#CoronaTrial: Day 25 with video highlights

MANILA, Philippines – Here are the highlights of Day 25 of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

2:10pm: Session begins. Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano leads the prayer. 

2:14pm: Roll call. 15 Senator judges present. Quorum is declared.  

2:17pm: Defense requests for an hour to wait for Chief Defense Counsel Serafin Cuevas who is stuck in traffic. 

2:18pm: Session is suspended.

2:24pm: Session resumes. Senate Majority Floor Leader Tito Sotto proposes that cross examnination of ABS-CBN cameraman be suspended pending arrival of Chief Defense Counsel Cuevas. Presiding Officer Enrile instructs prosecution to present next witnesses. 

2:26pm: Prosecution presents next witness Elenita Gatbonton of the Malacañang Records office. 

2:31pm: Defense questions materiality of next witness. Prosecution says witness will prove Corona’s ties with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

2:40pm: Witness Gatbonton identifies documents pertaining to Corona’s appointment as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.    

2:44pm: Witness Gatbonton is discharged.

2:48pm: Prosecution presents next witness, Danny Piedad, an ABS-CBN cameraman.   

2:50pm: In the interest of expediency, Presiding Officer Juan Ponce-Enrile takes over the questioning from prosecution.  

2:56pm: Witness testifies that he shot video of former President Arroyo upon her arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on November 15, 2011.

3:00pm: Video shot by ABS-CBN cameraman Danny Piedad is previewed. Video shows Former President Gloria Arroyo’s arrival in NAIA. 

3:11pm: Lead Defense Counsel Serafin Cuevas arrives at the Session Hall. Cuevas questions authenticity of material on DVD presented and asks to postpone cross examination of Piedad.

3:19pm: Rochelle Mendez, ABS-CBN Head of News Library takes the witness stand.   

3:25pm: Witness is asked to testify on the authenticity of the material on the DVDs presented today and yesterday. 

3:34pm: Defense cross examines witness Rochelle Mendez. Cuevas questions the fact that the labeling was not done by the witness. 

3:56pm: Session is suspended.

4:00pm: Session resumes. Defense procedes with cross examination of ABS-CBN cameraman Edmond Losalla.

4:10pm: Lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas requests for permission to cross examine ABS-CBN cameraman Piedad tomorrow citing that he missed his testimony.  

4:13pm: Prosecution clarifies impeachment court’s decision on summons for employees of the Supreme Court.

4:14pm: Clerk of Court reads reply to Colmenares. 

4:17pm: Colmenares: May tinatago ba ang Supreme Court sa hukumang ito.

4:28pm: Sen. Jinggoy Estrada asks prosecution if they have more witnesses to present for Article 7. Lead prosecutor Niel Tupas says they are done presenting witnesses. Sen. Estrada asks prosecution, “after this, are we done?”  

4:30pm: Sen. Kiko Pangilinan: SC decision to prohibit employees from testifying puts into question the sole power of the Senate to try the case.

4:32pm: Sen. Enrile: To be fair to everybody, this chair will humbly state for the record, the SC has no jurisdiction over the trial and the decision the Senate will make. This is not indicated in the action of the SC. The SC is the guardian of the constitution they know the sovereign will of the people repose in this Senate the sole power to try and decide this case. The SC cannot decide it. What happened was that we issued a subpoena and the internal rules of the SC which is a co-equal department with us says we have our own internal rules on this matter and we do not allow judges / justices and employees to be subpoenaed by the impeachment court. That is another matter it does not deprive us of our jurisdiction to try this case. They are not impeding us from continuing this trial and deciding on this case, based on the evidence we have at hand.”    

4:35pm: Senator Drilon moves to tackle the matter in a closed-door caucus. 

4:41pm: Senator Legarda: I want to undestand if there really was a herculean effort, powers were utilized to pay the cash bond.

4:46pm: Lead Prosecutor Niel Tupas manifests, “evidence suffices for removal of Chief Justice.” He adds “the prosecution is terminating its presentation of evidence.” 

4:54pm: Enrile, are you dropping other Articles of Impeachment (#1, #4, #5, #6 and #8)? Prosecution: We are withdrawing these articles.  

4:57pm: Enrile to prosecution: “I want a formal notice of your clear stand on this matter.” 

5:02pm: Session is suspended. – Rappler.com