Defense motion vs Angara meant to stop Corona conviction–prosecution

Senator Edgardo Angara. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines – The motion to inhibit filed by the defense against Senator-Judge Edgardo Angara is to prevent the Senate from getting the required two-thirds vote that will convict Chief Justice Renato Corona, the prosecution said Tuesday.

But Marikina Representative Romero Quimbo told reporters that “the two-thirds (or 16) required vote is permanent.”

“If somebody inhibits, or gets sick, or resigns, the 16 [required vote] will still remain,” Quimbo said.

He said that it was also likely a move to discredit whatever the decision of the impeachment court would be.

“If there would be a conviction, the defense was laying the groundwork to bring doubt or to make the decision of the Senate questionable,” Quimbo said.

The defense can later on throw allegations like some senators should have inhibited, etc, Quimbo said.

Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said in a previous briefing that the motion to inhibit, based on his relation to Senator-Judge Edgardo Angara, was “unfair.”

Sonny Angara said that his father was fully capable of rendering an independent decision in the impeachment trial.

Quimbo said they found the timing of the filing of the motion to inhibit “suspicious bordering on the malicious.”

He added that the trial was nearing its end and the decision by the defense to file the motion was “like we are being ambushed” instead of on the onset.

Senator Angara spoke at the beginning of Tuesday’s proceedings, saying that he will not inhibit.