Santiago berates prosecution for ‘harassing’ defense witness

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago berated a member of the prosecution team on Monday for “harassing” a witness in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“You are forcing him to make a conclusion of fact… You’re harassing the witness. That’s what you’re doing,” Santiago told private prosecutor Renato Samonte, who was cross-examining the defense team’s witness, former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.

The senator made the remark when the prosecutor repeatedly asked Atienza to examine a copy of a check supposedly issued by the Manila government when it bought a P34 million property from the Basa-Guidote Enterprise Inc owned by Corona’s wife, Cristina.

The copy was certified by the Commission on Audit, Samonte said.

But Atienza could not confirm the veracity of the copy of the check, saying he did not personally prepare it.

It was the City Treasurer, he said, who prepared the check as payment to the company through Corona’s wife.