Defense hopeful they won’t be cited in contempt over Palace bribe try claim

MANILA, Philippines—The defense lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona on Friday said that they were hopeful they would not be cited in contempt for disclosing information that some senator-judges were offered P100 million by Malacañang.

Lawyer Rico Paolo Quicho said that they aired their side in a written explanation to the Senate, acting as an impeachment court.

But Quicho added that “we don’t consider iyong pagsasalita namin sa press briefing ay kasalanan.”

Tranquil Salvador III said that the defense panel meant no disrespect to the impeachment court when the team held the press briefing.

“We have a credible source but we cannot reveal the identity of that person,” Salvador said.

But if the senator-judges decide that they had been wrong to divulge to the media such information, Quicho said that they were “prepared to face any sanction.”

The defense panel last Sunday told the media that executive secretary Paquito Ochoa offered certain senator-judges P100 million if they would vote against the high tribunal’s temporary restraining order on Corona’s dollar accounts.