MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will be among the 18 witnesses for the prosecution to testify against Chief Justice Renato Corona’s alleged betrayal of public trust over an aborted overseas medical travel of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband.
De Lima will testify along with two associate justices of the Supreme Court and its spokesman and court administrator Midas Marquez, a copy of the list of witnesses and documents e-mailed to INQUIRER.net by the office of Bayan Muna partylist Representative Neri Colmenares showed.
Colmenares is among the prosecution team members in charge of Article 7, which accuses Corona of betrayal of public trust when the high tribunal granted the temporary restraining order against a travel ban issued by the Department of Justice on the Arroyo couple.
De Lima will testify on the various criminal charges filed against Arroyo and her husband, that the Arroyos had reasons other than health in trying to leave the country; and that the serving of the TRO to the DOJ was made ahead of submitting the requirements for it last November 15.
Also on the list of witnesses are members of the broadcast and print media, like Raissa Robles of South China Morning Post, Marites Vitug of Rappler.com, and Criselda Yabes who will testify on the alleged close relationship of Corona with Arroyo. ABS-CBN news reporter Ina Reformina and another unidentified journalist will testify that the TRO allowing the Arroyos to leave was issued shortly before 6 p.m. last November 15 while the compliance with the TRO requirements were made only after 6 p.m. of the same day.
The Supreme Court associate justices who will be called to testify are Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Justice Presibetero J. Velasco, Jr. The two, along with Marquez, will testify on the alleged rushed issuance of the TRO by Corona “in order to give the Arroyos an opportunity to escape prosecution and to frustrate the ends of justice…”
Other witnesses to be called by the prosecution include the following:
- Principal physicians of former president Arroyo—Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes and her surgeon, Dr. Mario Ver—who will attest to Arroyo’s continuing recovery and her positive prognosis, especially after 6 to 8 months and that there is no medical emergency warranting an immediate flight.
- Supreme Court Process Server—who will testify, among others on the working hours of the Supreme Court and that the TRO was filed beyond working hours.
- Supreme Court Process Cashier—who will testify, among others on the working hours of the high tribunal and that the conditions set were submitted beyond working hours.
- Deputy Clerk of Court—who will testify, among others, that respondent Corona consolidated the two cases involving Arroyo and her husband in order to ensure the alleged hurried issuance of the TRO against the DOJ on November 15; that the issuance of the TRO against the DOJ on November 15 by Corona was made in order to give the Arroyos an opportunity to escape prosecution and to frustrate the ends of justice; that such issuance is a “tyrannical abuse of power, an act of favoritism and an inexcusably negligent act amounting to a betrayal of public trust”; on the allegations contained in the verified complaint, and other pleadings filed by complainants, and other matters relevant to the instant case.
- Enriqueta Vidal, Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court En Banc—who will testify, among others: that Corona made handwritten corrections on the typewritten draft resolution of Justice Velasco with the instruction that the Chief Justice’s version is to be immediately promulgated; suppress the dissent of Justice Sereno; and on the allegations contained in the verified complaint, and other pleadings filed by complainants, and other matters relevant to the instant case.
- Assigned Process Server or Sheriff – who will testify, among others that respondent Corona in order to immediately effect the TRO extended the office hours, asked him to do overtime and to immediately serve the notices to the DOJ and the Office of the Solicitor General.
- Araceli C. Bayuga, SC Chief Judicial Officer—who will testify, among others that respondent Corona in order to immediately effect the TRO extended the office hours, asked them to facilitate the payment of the bond to ensure compliance; the time and manner of payment and the time that they informed the Office of the Clerk of Court of the payment of the bond.
- “Juliet” of the Office of the Clerk of Court that it was only at 8:55 a.m. of November 16, one day after Arroyo attempted to leave, that they received information of the payment of the bond.
- Jay Francis P. Baltazar, Notary Public of Magallanes, Makati City (Hostile Witness)—will testify as to the time and manner that the Special Power of Attorney made in favor of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was notarized.
- Assigned Cashier to Receive Payment—who will testify, among others that Corona in order to immediately effect the TRO asked them to receive the payment of bond; and the other circumstances surrounding the payment of the money.