Prosecution chooses Bautista, Lim to conduct cross exam on Corona

Chief Justice Renato Corona. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Two of the prosecution team’s private lawyers have been chosen to conduct the cross examination on embattled Chief Justice Renato Corona, who is set to appear before the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, on Tuesday.

Cavite Representative Joseph Emilio Abaya, also a prosecutor for the panel, on Thursday said they chose lawyers Mario Bautista and Arthur Lim for the task, explaining the two prosecutors had enough experience to take on Corona’s cross examination.

Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, a spokesman of the prosecution team, named Bautista as one of the “obvious candidates” along with the lead prosecutors. He said a possible scenario would be dividing the task to several prosecutors who would ask Corona questions one at a time.

“Ang tanong diyan ay how to divide it up kasi maraming may gusto talaga dahil they know na, in effect, it’s a lawyer’s dream to cross examine the Chief Justice of the Philippines,” he said, adding that the questions to be asked would be a “joint effort” and that what the prosecutor would ask “will be a collective product.”

Another spokesperson of the panel, House Deputy Speaker and Quezon Representative Lorenzo Tañada III, said that lead prosecutor Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. was involved in firming up their plans for the cross examination as Corona’s testimony would play “a significant role in history.”

Bautista is a managing partner at the Poblador Bautista and Reyes law firm, which also played a role in the impeachment case of former President Joseph Estrada. He presented bank executive Clarissa Ocampo, who allegedly witnessed Estrada’s singing the bank documents under the name of Jose Velarde.

Lim, meanwhile, was a former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.