Senators say objections are par for the course

Objections are par for the course, and the defense should be given more leeway to raise these lest the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona appear railroaded, senator-judges said on Saturday.

Responding to a colleague’s concern that the trial was being bogged down by the defense’s numerous objections, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said neither the defense nor the prosecution should be stopped from raising objections at the trial.

“How can you stop them if they think there’s something objectionable? Objections can’t just be prevented; otherwise, that’s no longer a trial. When the defense’s turn to present evidence comes, won’t the other side pose objections?” Sotto said in a phone interview.

“I distinctly remember that during [then President Joseph Estrada’s] impeachment trial, all that defense lawyer Estelito Mendoza did was to object to everything, and we did not hear any complaint from [then prosecutor] Joker Arroyo,” he said.

Arroyo and other House prosecutors faced off with Mendoza and other defense lawyers in the aborted impeachment trial of Estrada on charges of corruption, incompetence and inefficiency from late 2000 to early 2001.

In defense’s favor

Noting that so far in the trial it had been the show of the prosecution, Sen. Ralph Recto said: “If I were to bend a little backward, I would bend in favor of the defense. The trial started with the prosecution, and we should allow the defense some leeway to defend themselves so nobody can say it has been railroaded or stacked up against them.”

It all boiled down to “due process,” Recto said.

On Friday, after four days of trial, Sen. Panfilo Lacson observed that the proceedings had been “consistently bogged down by so many objections.” He said he would raise this point with his fellow senator-judges.

Lacson noted chief defense lawyer Serafin Cuevas’ numerous manifestations blocking the prosecution’s presentation of evidence, including Corona’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, as well as transfer certificates of titles and deeds of absolute sale concerning his family’s properties.

But Sotto said the senator-judges should trust Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to handle objections, whether from the defense or the prosecution, in the course of the trial.

“That’s why the presiding officer is there to rule whether an objection should be sustained or overruled,” Sotto said. “He’s doing an awesome job. Let it go. I don’t see any reason to complain about how the [trial] is being conducted. We’re trying our best to run a very tight ship.”

Sotto, however, said Lacson’s concern would be tackled in this week’s caucus if he would raise it.

‘Be patient’

Recto said he and his colleagues should not be “technical about procedures” because in the end, what was important was that the Senate impeachment court had allowed due process to work.

“The people are [watching] us. Regardless of the outcome, the process and the Senate judgment should be looked upon to be fair and just. My message to the public is, ‘Be patient.’ Things will get faster along the way. Let’s not jump to conclusions,” he said.

Sotto also clarified that the House prosecutors had only marked but not yet presented evidence.