MANILA, Philippines- The defense team on Monday said that they are happy with the recent survey conducted by Inquirer.net showing that more than 60 percent of respondents believe the impeachment court will not convict Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Lawyer Karen Jimeno, spokesperson for the defense, said in an ambush interview with the media that they are happy because “it means the people are thinking and are following the impeachment proceedings.”
She said that the public opinion against Corona was negative at first because of the many issues against him that came out in the papers, including the list of alleged 45 properties released by the Land Registration Authority that was released to the media by the House prosecution team.
This was later denied by lead prosecutor, Iloilo representative Neil Tupas, when confronted by Senator Jinggoy Estrada during the proceedings regarding the number of properties that was previously told to the media.
Corona’s reputation was tainted and doubt began to grow as to why he owned that many properties, Jimeno said.
But as the trial went on and the evidence presented were scrutinized, the people were no longer swayed by propaganda and by negative public opinion, Jimeno said.
The people now base their opinion on the evidence that they see are being presented and scrutinized in court, Jimeno said.
“We are happy that the people are thinking and smart and can see the truth,” Jimeno said.