Defense not ‘100 percent sure’ Corona can testify Wednesday
MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Renato Corona’s defense panel said Tuesday they were not “100 percent” sure if Corona could return to the witness stand tomorrow, Wednesday.
“One hundred percent, we are not sure if Corona can take the witness stand tomorrow,” defense spokesperson Rico Paolo Quicho said during a press briefing after the proceedings.
“Hopefully by tomorrow he is better,” lawyer Tranquil Salvador said.
Corona abruptly left the session hall after reading his statement to the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, because he was allegedly feeling dizzy and nauseous.
“Nahihilo at nagdidilim ang paningin at kumakalog ang tuhod. Ayaw niya masuka sa harap ng television [He was dizzy. his vision started to dim and his knees began to shake. He didn’t wan to vomit in front of the television],” Salvador said.
Corona was not able to eat lunch, having come from a mass at the Supreme Court before testifying at the Senate for almost three hours, Salvador said. This caused Corona’s blood sugar level to drop, he said.
Corona proceeded to the holding room at the back of the session hall where the senator-judges come from before entering the session hall. Several members of his defense team went to him immediately to check on him.
He was put on a wheelchair before being brought back into the holding room.
Salvador reiterated that they did not know how Corona would be feeling tomorrow (Wednesday) but said that they were fully aware of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s ultimatum that Corona should return to testify or face having his entire opening statement stuck out of the records.
“If you will ask us if [Corona] needs to testify, our answer is very clear, yes he needs to return,” Quicho added.
“It would depend on his health condition,” Quicho said.
“This was an unexpected event, if others were sad thinking this was one big drama or one big zarzuela, we beg patience and we forgive you, hopefully this won’t happen to you as well,” Quicho added.
