Santiago: Prosecution is bound to lose

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is seeing the defeat of the prosecution team as shown by its lack of preparedness to defend the impeachment case against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Santiago made the assessment when sought to comment on Wednesday about some lawmakers’ criticisms at how the senator-judges treat members of the prosecution during the impeachment  trial.

“Hindi ko siniseryoso iyang mga ‘yan e. Patalo sila e (I don’t take them seriously. They are bound to lose),” Santiago said in an interview over radio.

“Tinutulungan na nga sila e (They are even getting help),” she said, noting how she aided the prosecution at one point how to lay the foundation when asking questions.

Santiago even likened the prosecutors to “school boys…Hindi kasi sila handa (They are not prepared).”

She said they should be slapped on the butt by a ruler for not doing their homework.

Santiago also protested at how the senator- judges were subjected to personal attacks when told about House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales’ comments when they lecture the prosecutors during the trial.

“E kung pakialaman ko kaya ang personalidad niya, gustuhin n’ya? Sasabihin ko kaya bakit ang bagal-bagal mong mag isip? Bakit ganyan kang magsalita? Magugustuhan ba n’ya? ‘Yan ang sinasabi na personal attacks. Dapat doon lang tayo sa issue (What if I also criticize his personality? What if I told him: Why do you think so slow? Why do you speak that way? Would he like it? That’s what you called personal attacks),’ said Santiago.

Despite criticisms, Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile said he would not change his style of running the trial.

Enrile pointed out how he was trying to help the prosecution team to the point that he even looked like he was lawyering for them.

“Tumutulong na nga ako. Ako na nga mismo ang nagtatanong ng question, dahil iyong pagtatanong nila, talagang objectionable. Pero, kalimitan kung nakikita ninyo parang ako na ang nagiging abogado sa kabila (I’m already helping them. I myself ask questions because their manner of asking questions is really objectionable. But more often, if you can see, I was already lawyering for them),” Enrile said over the same radio interview.