Impeachment court to continue trial even with SC TRO

MANILA, Philippines—There is nothing wrong if the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, decides to push through with the trial against Chief Justice Renato Corona even in the event that the high tribunal decides to issue a temporary restraining order, prosecution spokesman Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said on Thursday.

“We just have to wait and see. We want to see what the actions of the Supreme Court will be but it is clear in the Constitution that the impeachment case should be handled by the Senate,” he said.

Angara added that they were not surprised with Corona’s move to seek TRO from the high tribunal, saying that what they needed to show was that the testimonies they requested to be subpoenaed were important to the case.

Corona on Wednesday filed a petition to the high court to temporarily stop the trial as well as the presentation of his bank records which had earlier been subpoenaed by the Senate.

The Supreme Court will hold a special en banc session later on Thursday to discuss the said petition from Corona as well as another petition from the Philippine Savings Bank.