Prosecution has ‘over 100’ documents on Corona properties—spokesman

MANILA, Philippines—Members of the prosecution team showed to reporters the “over 100 documents” that they would have presented as evidence during the impeachment trial on Tuesday had they not been prevented because of questions on their authenticity, said Marikina City representative Romero Quimbo, spokesman for the prosecution.

The documents were composed of land titles, deeds of sale, condominium certificates of title, and tax payments, among others, and were computer-generated from the Land Registration Authority (LRA), Quimbo said in a press conference after the trial.

The two witnesses who could authenticate the document were not present in the trial at the time because the subpoenas for them to appear in court were only issued in the morning, Quimbo explained.

“We were ready to present the evidence today and mark them,” Quimbo said. “These are authenticated copies and admissible in court.”

Quimbo also said that there was some confusion earlier when the prosecution was asked why they didn’t bring the original documents. “We cannot bring the originals [because they are] with the chief justice (Corona),” he said.

He said the defense would have been given time to examine the documents after the prosecution had presented them.

Quimbo also said that they would follow the suggestion of the impeachment court to come up with an order of presentation of evidence on the articles of impeachment so that the defense would be prepared.

The defense had earlier manifested that they were not prepared to cross-examine Article 2 of the articles of impeachment because they thought Article 1 would be the first to be presented.

Quimbo said the prosecution moved that the trial be postponed to give the defense the opportunity to prepare.