MANILA, Philippines—The defense panel said they respect the opinion of President Benigno Aquino, who has engaged embattled Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona in a word war despite pleas from senators and religious leaders that both heads of government branches restrain themselves.
Lawyer Karen Jimeno said that Aquino has the “right to freedom of speech and expression.”
“We respect the opinion of the president, but hopefully the [impeachment] process should also be respected,” lawyer Rico Paolo Quicho said in a press briefing Monday.
Jimeno added that the President should exercise some restraint “when speaking in public because he is no ordinary person.”
“What he says has an impact on the people; it might influence people in what they think about the impeachment process,” Jimeno explained.
Lawyer Tranquil Salvador said that the chief justice is equally entitled to his own opinion.
“[The president] is entitled to his own personal observation and opinion, in the same manner that the chief justice has his own declaration and opinion,” Salvador said.
He said that the chief justice has been the subject of much publicity in the media and thus cannot be blamed for giving his own statements.
Salvador said, “Let’s not take it wrong. Their statements are only highlighted because of their high positions.”
The defense said that it would be up to the citizens to be more discerning regarding the statements of both sides because they cannot be told to keep silent.
“Let us be more vigilant (as citizens) so we can discern what statements we will accept, and so the people can make their own judgment,” Salvador said.