Cuevas denies Corona’s ‘walkout’ was planned

Lead defense legal counsel Cerafin Cuevas. INQUIRER file photo

Former Supreme Court Justice Serafin Cuevas said on Wednesday he disagreed with the abrupt departure of Chief Justice Renato Corona from the witness stand and dismissed as a “lie” media reports he had quit as lead defense counsel.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Cuevas admitted that he had offered to resign a few weeks into the impeachment trial, which began January 16, over a “conflict of opinion” with other members of Corona’s legal team. He said Corona rejected his resignation.

“That’s not true,” he said of the text messages circulating that he had resigned from Corona’s legal team after Tuesday’s dramatic events in the Senate tribunal.

“Sometimes I feel bad when we have a conflict of opinion. So I told the Chief Justice that it would be best if he would allow me to resign because he no longer needs me,” Cuevas said. He said each time his resignation was rejected.

Cuevas sought to dispel speculation that  Corona, who was reported to have suffered a stroke during his three-hour testimony on Tuesday, “faked his illness.”

“If you want, you can go and see him in the hospital so you can check his real condition,” Cuevas said.

Surprised

He said he honestly believed that the surprise exit was not planned. “Had I known of that supposed plan, I would not affix my imprimatur to that kind of setup because that’s unbecoming. I would rather resign or withdraw from the case,” he stressed. “I would not let my credentials be destroyed.”

Cuevas said he himself “did not like” the way the Chief Justice left without being discharged by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

“I was surprised that he was already gone when I was still making a manifestation to continue with the direct examination,” Cuevas said. “What I actually expected was for the Chief Justice to be heard and investigated before somebody condemns him and not condemnation before investigation.”

He said he could have asked Enrile to allow Corona to leave had Corona told Cuevas that he was not feeling well.

“I could have told him that it won’t do us any good if he considers walking out. Some say he was just avoiding being cross examined (by the prosecution). But those are mere conjectures.”