Prosecution wonders who will testify on Basa-Guidote issues

MANILA, Philippines—The prosecution on Friday said the team was curious as to who will testify on  issues involving the family company of the wife of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III said the defense has no choice but to produce a witness on the Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc., the family company of Cristina Corona, where the Chief Justice borrowed P11 million as indicated in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

“Hindi nila maiiwasan na huwag maglabas ng testigo dito dahil nasa SALN iyan na siya po ay umutang ng P11 million,” said Tañada.

He also said that what the prosecution would present in court would depend on the evidence presented by the defense.

“Pinag-aaralan at tinitingnan kung ano iyong mga ebidensya na pwedeng ilabas. Pero again, rebuttal evidence will always depend kung iyong testigo ng kabila, sa cross-examination pa lang ay nasagot na iyong mga tanong na gusto namin,” Tañada said.

He explained that the prosecution panel was waiting for the next witnesses to be presented and were curious as to whether they were competent enough to answer questions during cross-examination.

At the same time, Tañada said they were surprised when the defense tackled Corona’s allowances and benefits “dahil alam naming kung bubuksan nila iyan, makakatulong sa panig namin.”

Another spokesperson for the prosecution team, Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, pointed out that although the defense has not openly said it, there was an “implied admission” from their camp that the allowances and benefits Corona received were used to purchase the properties now under scrutiny in the impeachment court.

“They have not said it explicitly pero by implication sinasabi nila na iyon ay pinambili ng mga (properties). They never said it but iyon ‘yong lumalabas,” he said.

Asked for comments on Corona’s “one man rule” speech, Angara said that the Chief Justice was just diverting the issue.

Tañada instead defended President Benigno Aquino III, saying “Sa dinanas po ng kaniyang pamilya (Aquinos), hindi niya nanaisin na kahit sino man ulit dito sa ating bansa ay makaranas ng ganoong kasaysayan.”

Angara backed his colleague’s statement, saying “one man rule? Diktaturya? Palagay ko hindi. I have not heard anything so outrageous and so absurd sa totoo lang.”