Defense to call up to 8 solons as witnesses—spokesman

MANILA, Philippines – The defense will call as witnesses from seven to eight congressmen to the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, its spokesman said Tuesday.

Lawyer Tranquil Salvador III said that their list may include prosecutor and Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. and prosecution spokesman and Marikina City Representative Miro Quimbo.

In a press briefing at the Senate, Salvador hinted at the identities of the 15 to 30 witnesses the defense panel will summon. “Palagay ko matatawag [sina] Quimbo [at] Tupas. Definitely no journalists [will be called as witnesses].”

He said that the number of witnesses they would call would depend on the “necessity of proving our case.” He said that their witnesses would not reach 100 persons.

Corona’s defense team has yet to release the list of witnesses and spokesperson lawyer Karen Jimeno said that they were reserving the right to call on witnesses other than the ones identified in their list.

Once the list is released, Salvador said that the defense panel would explain their reasons for calling on their witnesses. He said that congressmen who signed the verified complaint may be called as witnesses and could be cross examined without being declared as hostile witnesses.

“[They will be] treated as adverse party witnesses and may be asked cross examine questions,” Salvador said.

Reacting to the prosecution panel’s move to subpoena Corona’s bank records, Salvador deemed the documents unnecessary in proving Article 2. He said that the bank records would fall under Article 2.4 which has been deferred.

Meanwhile, Salvador said that information on Corona’s Bellagio unit was “very relevant” to the impeachment case, saying that they were “surprised with the [issue of the] P10 million discount” the chief justice allegedly received in purchasing the condominium unit.

He said that Megaworld senior vice president for marketing and sales Noli Hernandez’s testimony revealed that the price of the unit in question had been reduced not only because of a discount but primarily due to damages incurred during a typhoon. “Naaayon [ito] sa business practice [This is based to business practice].”