Palace: Defense confusing proceedings

Chief Justice Renato Corona’s lawyers were out to “confuse the proceedings” when they accused the Palace of trying to convince senator-judges to defy the Supreme Court order stopping the presentation of his foreign currency deposits, according to Malacañang.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa in a statement Sunday night denied the charges against him. He said the senator-judges had “shown that they are more than capable of making the decisions necessary to ensure that the Chief Justice receives a fair and impartial trial.” He said “citing rumors to prove baseless accusations … goes against the principles of decent and ethical lawyering.”

“The defense counsel’s press conference is an example of how you should not believe everything you hear. There is a lot of loose talk and idle—not to mention—malicious speculation going around. It is incumbent on people who should know better not to fall for every conspiracy theory whispered to you,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a separate statement.

“In contrast to the clarity and consistency of the President’s advocacy for accountability, transparency and reform, the defense panel of the Chief Justice prefers squid tactics. Their conspiracy theories concerning the executive secretary is a diversionary tactic to distract attention from the evidence coming to light in the impeachment trial,” Lacierda said.

He said defense lawyers were resorting to “squid tactics” because of “growing mounting evidence” against Corona.

“We can only surmise that the defense has run out of ways to conceal the culpability of its client, and has engineered this move as a last-ditch effort to confuse the proceedings and prevent a resolution,” Lacierda said.

He said the Palace did not think the Senate or the people will “fall for such a brazen strategy” as he noted that Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP) had called on Corona to disclose his dollar accounts now. With a report from Michael Lim Ubac