Senators agree to respect Corona when he testifies

INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — No senator-judge can insult, harass or even raise his or her voice at Chief Justice Renato Corona when he testifies in his impeachment trial on Tuesday, Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile said on Thursday.

“Nasa rules namin yun, hindi sya pwedeng insultuhin, i-harass…(It is in our rules. He cannot be insulted, harassed…” Enrile said in an interview with reporters.

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the senators agreed that they would be “very respectful” when Corona testifies in the trial.

“Syempre very respectful kami sa stature. Walang magtataas ng boses, walang mambastos, walang mang iinsulto [Of course we will be respectful of stature. No one will raise a voice, be disrespectful, no one will be insulting],” Lacson said in a separate interview.

“Pwede namang magtanong sa magandang paraan, hindi tulad ng iba [It’s possible to ask a question in a nice way, not like the others],” Lacson said.

The senator said the Chief Justice should be ready to answer many questions that the senators would ask him especially after Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales testified about multi-million dollar bank deposits that he allegedly owned.

“They brought it upon themselves, they brought the Ombudsman as their witness,” Lacson added.

But some senators warned the Chief Justice against invoking his right against self-incrimination lest he would appear guilty.

“This is not the time to stick to technicalities. Truth has to be found,” Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III in a text message to reporters.

Senate Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada said: “ Karapatan nya [It’s his right] to invoke his rights pero that will be to his detriment.”

“That is his right but it might seriously impinge on his credibility as a witness if he is perceived to be evasive and hiding the truth,” Senator Francis Escudero said.

Lacson said he hoped Corona would waive his right against self-incrimination since he has already decided to take the witness stand.

“Otherwise, useless din if he invokes the same. Lookout niya as in magmumukha siyang [It’s his lookout, as in he would appear]guilty kapag hindi nag disclose ng detalye ng [if he did not disclose details of his] accounts at kung magiging selective sya pagsagot sa mga tanong [and will be selective in answering questions],” the senator added.