Defense makes first witness ‘relevant’ to impeachment trial

Chief Justice Renato Corona. INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – A clerk of court in Quezon City was the first witness presented by the defense team on Day 36 of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Defense lawyer Jose Roy III offered testimony of the witness, Lucita Cristi of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 216, still in connection with the Basa-Guidote Enterprise Inc (BGEI) owned by the family of Corona’s wife, Cristina.

In his direct examination of the witness, Roy inquired about the libel case filed in 2001 by Mrs Corona against her own uncle, Jose Maria Basa III, one of BGEI stockholders. Basa died on Aug. 2, 2002.

At one point, however, Senate President and presiding officer Juan Ponce-Enrile asked about the relevance of the testimony in the ongoing trial.

“What’s the relevance of this with respect to the impeachment?” Enrile asked.

Roy said the witness’ testimony would shed light on the acquisition of the BGEI shares, which had been acquired by certain individuals. He refused to identify who acquired the shares.

It was not the first time that Enrile questioned the relevance of the defense witnesses’ testimonies about the BGEI since it was established that the company through Mrs. Corona sold a P34 million property to the City of Manila.

In fact, Enrile stopped the defense team during Monday’s hearing from presenting its two witnesses, who were supposed to testify on the BGEI sale.

The sale of the BGEI property came into the picture of the Corona trial when the Chief Justice declared in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth an P11 million cash advance he drew from the company.

Article 2 of the impeachment case alleges Corona’s failure to disclose to the public his SALN.