AT least one of the Cebu legislators who signed the Articles of Impeachment against Chief Justice Renato Corona said yesterday he was willing to sign a waiver that would disclose all his bank accounts.
Rep. Gabriel “Luigi” Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district said while he’s willing to sign the waiver, he sees it as a legal ploy for Corona so he won’t be obliged to reveal his bank accounts.
Quisumbing said this even as the Cebu legal community called on Corona to submit himself to a cross-examination in order to answer all the allegations raised against him once and for all.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said Corona shouldn’t be cross-examined and not be told to resign if convicted by the impeachment court.
Rather than resignation, Rama said Corona should be asked to apologize.
Quisumbing, who was one of four Cebuano legislators who signed the impeachment complaint, said since Corona was the one standing in trial, he couldn’t turn around and level the same charges at his accusers.
Quisumbing, a new member of the Liberal Party, said giving conditions in signing a waiver is not allowed in court procedures.
“Why should we agree to the condition placed on us by the Chief Justice in order to shield himself from fully revealing his accounts?,” Quisumbing said in a radio interview.
Quisumbing said Corona wasted the impeachment court’s time when he made his lengthy defense and presented his conditional waiver.