Prosecution sees no SC intervention on Corona verdict

Lead prosecutor Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. PHOTO BY INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — The prosecution team does not see the possibility of the decision on Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial being brought to the Supreme Court for intervention.

Lead prosecutor Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. maintained on Monday that the Senate has since Day 1 of the trial insisted that it had the sole authority to try impeachable officers.

“We are relying on that pronouncement. I think it will not reach that point,” he said.

He asked whether it was fair if the chief magistrate takes his case to his “home court” if he gets convicted on Tuesday.

To Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Fariñas, although Corona has the “right to reject” the decision, the prosecution team also had the right to reject that move. “This is a continuing denial (and) lame excuses. He cannot get away this time,” Fariñas said.

“We’re begging them not to run to the Supreme Court anymore because we need a rest,” Farinas said in jest.

House majority leader Neptali Gonzales II believes that if convicted, the chief justice might find himself deserted by more and more of his allies. “I don’t know if justices would get the nerve to side with him. He needs a restraining order to stop the judgement,” he said.

Although admittedly just speculating, Gonzales said that by the time senator-judges hand down a conviction, Corona will have no more allies.