Prosecution urges defense private lawyers to disclose their pending cases in SC

MANILA, Philippines—The prosecution team on Thursday urged private lawyers defending Chief Justice Renato Corona to disclose any and all cases they are handling that are still pending in the Supreme Court.

“I think it’s time also for the law offices [where members] of the defense team come from, it’s time for them to also reveal the pending cases that they have in the Supreme Court,” said prosecution spokesman and Marikina Representative Romero Quimbo in a press conference.

The statement came after Senator-judge Joker Arroyo warned the prosecution from presenting witnesses and evidence that are related to cases still pending at the Supreme Court.

“Taking-off from what Senator Joker [Arroyo] said, it’s time for them to reveal what their cases are before the Supreme Court,” Quimbo said.

He argued the lawyers have “absolute access” to Corona and the Chief Justice has not gone on leave amid the ongoing impeachment proceedings and that he presides over en banc matters and has administrative powers which include scheduling and fixing the agenda of en banc hearings.

“Are they getting unduly favorable schedules, are their cases getting resolved faster than the rest? I think the people also need to hear this as far as transparency is concerned,” Quimbo added.

Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Fariñas said Corona is deeply indebted to his private lawyers due to the impeachment case.

“Dapat ipakita nila kung ano yung mga conflicts, possible conflicts of interest dahil ‘yun ‘yung point ni Senato Joker Arroyo kanina (They must show the possible conflicts of interests because that’s the point of Senator Joker Arroyo a while ago),” Fariñas said.

Quimbo said these lawyers are from some of the biggest law firms in the country that charge expensive fees although they are providing their services to Chief Justice Corona for free.

“What happens there when all this is done and over with and the Chief Justice goes back to the Supreme Court in the sad event that he is acquitted and he goes back and continues being the Chief Justice?” Quimbo said.

The matter arose after Senator Arroyo noted that lawyer Marlon Manuel, the private prosecutor who was part of the original lineup to present Philippine Airlines vice president Enrique Javier, is the lawyer of a PAL workers’ union.

Senator Arroyo said that PAL has a pending case at the Supreme Court versus the Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines (Fasap).

However, the prosecution team said that Palea has no relation to the PAL versus Fasap case.