SC to meet en banc over ‘subpoena’ at impeach trial

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court called for a special en banc session on Thursday to discuss a motion by the prosecution to summon justices of the high tribunal in the ongoing impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, a spokesman for the court said.

“It [the subpoena] goes into the essence of co-equal powers, separation of powers of government and of course the matters that the justices can testify to if and when they attend the impeachment hearing. The court, I think would like to have a stand on this,” Jose Midas Marquez said at a press conference Tuesday.

Marquez said the special en banc session would be at 2 p.m.

“We all know that the impeachment court issues subpoena to require the witness to be present as soon as the following day. If we will wait for the subpoena, the court may not have time to address the issue,” Marquez said.

The prosecution has asked the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, to summon Associate Justices Martin Villarama, Presbitero Velasco, Maria Lourdes Sereno, Bienvenido Reyes.