Prosecution counting days to resumption of Corona trial

Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. Photo from congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines — Lead prosecutor and Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. on Wednesday said that their team was counting the days until the resumption of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial in anticipation of what the defense panel would present to the Senate.

The trial is scheduled to resume May 7 and Tupas said that they were looking forward to getting back to work “knowing that a verdict may be issued by the Senate on or before June 7.”

Asked about developments on the prosecution team’s plans for rebuttal, Tupas said that they have yet to decide since the matter “depends on the presentation of the defense.”

He said that they were waiting “if the defense will present a substantial witness. If they will present CJ [Chief Justice] Corona or Mrs. [Cristina] Corona, we are ready to conduct cross-examination.”