Corona trial to resume March 12

MANILA, Philippines – The impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona will take a weeklong break to allow the prosecution team to make an offer of their evidence and Corona’s lawyers to prepare for their defense.

“The next trial date [will be] at 2:00 p.m. of March 12,” Senate President and presiding officer Juan Ponce-Enrile said on Wednesday.

The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, granted a request by chief prosecutor and Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. to give the prosecution until Friday or March 3 to make a final offer of their evidence against Corona.

The Senate will make a ruling on the offer of the evidence by the prosecution on March 8 so that the defense team would have time to prepare for its defense when it resumes on March 12.