List includes justice eyed by PNoy as Corona’s successor

COMPLYING with the request of Senator-Judge Miriam Defensor-Santiago, the House prosecution panel yesterday submitted the complete list of witnesses and evidence for the eight Articles of Impeachment filed against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Of the 93 witnesses, 13 are the Supreme Court justices who will be invited to shed light on the allegation that Corona abused his power in connection with the different decisions of the High Tribunal.

They are Jose Perez, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Jose Mendoza, Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Bienvenido Reyes, Roberto Abad, Martin Villarama, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Mariano del Castillo, Antonio Carpio, Presbiterio Velasco Jr. and Arturo Biron.

Sereno has been reported to be a strong contender for the post of Chief Justice which Corona would vacate if he is ousted by the Impeachment Court.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and Court Administrator and Spokesperson Midas Marquez were also included in the list. The defense will put Marquez on the stand as a hostile witness.

Justices Sereno and Velasco Jr., also marked as hostile witnesses, are two justices to be summoned to testify on the charge that Corona issued the TRO against the DoJ on November 15, 2011 in order to give the Arroyos an opportunity to escape prosecution and to frustrate the ends of justice is a tyrannical abuse of power, an act of favoritism and an inexcusably negligent act amounting to a betrayal of public trust.

The prosecution panel is accusing Corona of issuing and implementing a TRO in favor of the Arroyos to allow them to leave the country and escape the possible charges to be filed against them.

Marquez will be summoned to testify on the same issue, Prosecutor Rep. Neri Colmenares said.

On the other hand, De Lima will be invited to shed light on the various criminal cases filed against the Arroyo couple and the reason of Mrs. Arroyo to travel aside from health.

Other witnesses are journalists Criselda Yabes, Maritess Vitug and Ina Reformina. Yabes, Vitug and a blogger Raissa Robles will testify “on the close personal relationship between Corona and GMA and other allegations contained in the Verified Complaint.”

Even the attending physicians of Mrs. Arroyo, Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes and surgeon Dr. Mario Ver, will be called to attest to the former president’s continuing recovery and her positive prognosis, especially after 6 to 8 months and that there is no medical emergency warranting immediate travel for treatment abroad.

The Supreme Court Process Server will testify on the working hours of the Supreme Court and that the TRO was filed beyond working hours and the SC Process Cashier will testify on the working hours of the Supreme Court and that conditions set were submitted beyond working hours.

The Deputy Clerk of Court should also be summoned to testify that Corona consolidated the two cases involving Mrs. Arroyo and her husband Mike in order to ensure the hurried issuance of the TRO against the DoJ on 15 November 2011, the prosecutors said.

SC Clerk of Court Enriqueta Vidal, who earlier testified on Corona’s SALN, will again be called to testify that Corona made handwritten corrections on the typewritten draft resolution with the instruction that the Chief Justice’s version is to be immediately promulgated;

Assigned Process Server or Sheriff will testify that Corona, in order to immediately effect the TRO, extended the office hours, asked him to do overtime work and to immediately serve the Notices on the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General;

Others are SC Chief Judicial Officer Araceli Bayuga, “Juliet” of the Office of the Clerk of Court; Jay Francis Baltazar, Notary Public of Magallanes, Makati City and Assigned Cashier to Receive Payment.                      

In a press conference, prosecution panel spokespersons Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III expressed confidence that these witnesses and evidence are enough to prove that Corona is guilty of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution and graft.

At present, the Senate Impeachment Court is hearing the Article 2 or the non-disclosure of Corona’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN) wherein the prosecution panel was able to present at least four witnesses that include Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto Henares.

The prosecution will present the following number of witnesses: Article 1 or the partiality and subservience of Corona (betrayal of public trust), six witnesses; Article 2 or the non disclosure of SALN (culpable violation of the Constitution), 13 witnesses, Article 3 or failure to meet Article VIII, Sec 7 of the Constitution or the issue of competence, probity and independence (culpable violation of the Constitution), 26 witnesses; Article 4, or the blatant disregard of separation of powers by issuing status quo order on the impeachment proceedings against former Ombudsman Mercerditas Gutierrez (betrayal of public trust) seven witnesses; Article 5 or disregarding the principle of resjudicata and in deciding in favor of gerry-mandering in the cases involving the 16 newly-created cities (culpable violation of the Constitution), eight witnesses; Article 6 or the improper investigation of the alleged intellectual dishonesty case against Justice Castillo (betrayal of public trust), six witnesses; and Article 7 or the granting of TRO in favor of the Arroyos giving them the opportunity to leave the country (betrayal of public trust), 22 witnesses and Article 8 or the refusal to account for the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF), five witnesses.

Meanwhile, Angara said the defense failed to refute all the evidence presented by the prosecution and just resorted to filing motions in order to delay the proceedings.

“During the first seven days of the trial, the defense’s camp was responsible only in filing motions to invoke technicalities which delay the proceedings,” Angara said.