Defense: Corona need not be present when Senate issues verdict

Tranquil Salvador III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Renato Corona does not need to be present when the senate, sitting as an impeachment court, brings down its verdict on Tuesday.

Defense panel spokesman Tranquil Salvador said Monday that “there is no requirement for him to appear.”

Salvador added that Corona needs to attend to the condition of his health after he was hospitalized last week due to hypoglycemia and was said to be at risk of suffering a heart attack.

“In his current physical state, I cannot promise that he can come,” Salvador said. But Corona was sure to “follow the proceedings closely,” he added.

Fellow defense spokesman Rico Paolo Quicho said in a separate interview that Corona should just rest and recover.

Corona no longer needs to return to wait for the verdict of the court, “he should just rest and allow us to receive the verdict of the senate, sitting as an impeachment court,” Quicho said.

Salvador however said that Corona’s attendance to personally receive the verdict would be good.

“In my opinion, it would be good that he is here if he is able to come,” Salvador said. “He was here when the proceedings began, it would be good if he was also here in the end.”

“[Corona] is under continuous medication and let’s just hope he improves,” Salvador said.