THE Senate impeachment court yesterday got hold of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of Chief Justice Renato Corona from 2002 to 2010 after it ordered the High Tribunal’s Clerk of Court, Enriquetta Vidal, to surrender these documents.

“You are now ordered to surrender the records to this court,” Enrile told Vidal. She was the first witness presented by the House prosecution panel since it opted to proceed first with Article 2 of the impeachment complaint they filed against Corona which is the alleged non-declaration of SALN by Corona.

Although she brought Corona’s SALN, which were subpoenaed by the Senate Tuesday afternoon, Vidal tried to hold on to the documents reasoning she wanted an authorization from the Supreme Court considering the existence of a High Court resolution issued in 1989 prohibiting the release of SALN of justices without proper authority.

Vidal said that she brought copies of Corona’s SALN “in respect for the impeachment court.” But she refused to submit them at once. “I have the obligation to inform them of whatever subpoena or matter is brought before me. So I just await instruction,” she told Sen.Franklin Drilon when asked whether she still needs approval of the justices to surrender the SALN. 

She said that she included the impeachment court’s subpoena in the Supreme Court agenda yesterday morning. “I just gave it to them for information and authorization which I believe they will also grant. If the impeachment court requires me to do so I will do so,” Vidal said.

It was when Vidal revealed that she brought Corona’s SALN that senator-judges started to “gang up” on her to submit the documents. But Vidal was adamant.

“I am in a dilemma. We are covered by the rules of the Supreme Court and the impeachment court. May I request may I get the authorization first with the Supreme Court?” she implored the senator-judges.

The senator-judges took turns in “appealing” to her to submit the documents.

Sen. Joker Arroyo expressed fear that the desire of his colleagues to get hold of Corona’s SALN might lead to a clash between the Senate impeachment court and the High Tribunal.

“We cannot have another problem -- a clash between the Supreme Court and Congress. There are cases in the Supreme Court asking for TRO (temporary restraining order) against the impeachment court. They did not grant it. It is in deference to the Senate. The witness is asking for time too, to ask for authorization. Chances are it will be given. We have too many problems of the country,” Arroyo said.

Enrile reminded Vidal that the subpoena was issued to her and not to the Supreme Court and made it clear to her the subpoena was “not a request” to produce Corona’s SALN but “an order.”

The senator-judges assured Vidal that she had nothing to worry about if she defied the Supreme Court rule on releasing the SALN of any justice. “You don’t have to fear in pursuant to lawful authority, higher calling. History will be on your side,” said Sen.Edgardo Angara.

“We respect the Supreme Court. They have their internal rules. But we have taken our oath to judge and try and decide on an impeachment complaint sadly the Chief Justice, a high official of government. But while we respect the Supreme Court as co equal body we are also bound to do our duty. Please counsel them to comply and not to punish this witness,” Enrile told Corona’s lead counsel, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas.

As it turned out Vidal had nothing to fear concerning Corona’s SALN.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez bared in a hastily-called press conference yesterday that the Chief Justice, even before the start of the impeachment trial, had already authorized the release of his SALN.

In fact, Marquez disclosed, Corona had given his go-ahead to his lawyers to publicly release it.

Marquez at the same time assured Vidal that she need not fear a reprisal from the SC for releasing the SALN during the impeachment trial.

"There is nothing to worry about. The chief justice has long before authorized the release of his SALN," Marquez said.                                         With Hector Lawas