Defense lawyer denies affair with witness

MANILA, Philippines—Carmina Cruz of Alveo Land Corp returned to the witness stand on Wednesday for the continuation of direct examination by the defense team.

But before he conducted the direct examination of the witness, defense lawyer Jose Roy apologized to Cruz about an article that came out in a broadsheet paper, which allegedly “imputed” some kind of relationship between them.

“I want to make it of record that I’m not in conformity with the public and I’d like to give Ms. Cruz fair opportunity to deny,” Roy said.

But Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, who presides over the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, said, “Let’s forget about those things. Anyway, we’re adults.”

Cruz first appeared and testified Tuesday before the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, in connection with a condominium unit in Makati owned by Corona’s wife, Cristina.