PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III should relax, Chief Justice Renato Corona is ready to open his bank accounts, the head magistrate’s camp said yesterday.

"Kung bank account ang pinoproblema n’yo, ‘wag kayong mag-alala. Bubuksan n’ya lahat ‘yan dahil hindi n’ya ninakaw ‘yan... Relax lang kayo, Ginoong Pangulo," Dennis Manalo said as he read the defense panel's statement.

In a press conference in Club Filipino last night, the defense panel condemned and expressed alarm over alleged Palace interference.

"That Executive Secretary (Paquito Ochoa), in behalf of the President, was personally calling justices regarding the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). The President is bent on convicting Chief Justice Corona at all cost," Manalo said reading from the statement.

Atty. Jude Roy accused the Palace of promising to release P100 million to persuade each senator not to obey the SC TRO. 

The defense lawyers also said that the House of Representatives is acting in concert to convict Corona.

"This case is a plan to subjugate the Supreme Court. Nanganganib ang ating demokrasya. Humantong na tayo sa punto na Pangulo na mismo ang tumatalikod sa ating Saligang Batas," they added. 

They also called for support from their "brethren in the profession," saying the move by the executive and legislative branches is an attack on the entire legal community.

Atty. Ramon Esguerra, however, declined to identify their source who said that Malacañang is putting its hand in the impeachment trial.

"We cannot reveal our source. I hope you'll respect our rights also who these people are for their own protection," Esguerra said.

He clarified that it is not the Chief Justice himself who filed the petition before the SC, but it was the Philippine Savings Bank.

The senator-judges will have a caucus today to decide their next move regarding the SC TRO on the Chief Justice's dollar account.

Sixteen senators voted to subpoena Corona’s bank accounts.

Malacañang quickly dismissed the accusation of the Corona camp.

"The defense counsel’s press conference is an example of how you should not believe everything you hear. There is a lot of loose talk and idle –not to mention—malicious speculation going around. It is incumbent on people who should know better not to fall for every conspiracy theory whispered to you," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement.

Lacierda lauded the Senate for "conducting the impeachment trial in full light of day; the prosecution and defense have been given every opportunity to have themselves heard."    

Luisita link

Earlier Corona insisted that his impeachment has something to do with the Supreme Court’s ruling ordering the distribution of Hacienda Luisita to farmer-beneficieries.         

"It is about Hacienda Luisita: the P10 billion compensation which the President’s family reportedly wants for the land that was simply lent to them by the government; the need to terrorize and instill a chilling effect on the justices of the Supreme Court to be able to bend their decisions in favor of the Malacañang tenant,” Corona said.

Corona issued the statement in a speech delivered Friday night during the blessing of the Justicia Room of the Ateneo Law School in Rockwell Center, Makati City.

Previously, Corona accused President Aquino of leading his impeachment in the House of Representatives due to the SC’s decision to distribute the sprawling sugar estate owned by the Cojuangco clan.

Also in his speech, Corona blasted his critics over supposed violations of his human rights committed during the impeachment trial in the Senate.

“The objective here has been to, from the very beginning, destroy me and my family without even giving us any fair chance to defend ourselves.  I can no longer count how many of my constitutional rights have been blatantly and grossly violated,” he said.

Without naming names, Corona assailed some senators identified with the Liberal Party – the President’s party – of bias and partiality.

“As if the impeachment trial were not enough, some senator-judges have taken on the role of prosecutors and have converted what should be an adversarial proceeding into an inquisition,” Corona said.

Furthermore, Corona tagged the impeachment trial as waste of the public’s money.

“Obviously, taxpayer’s money is being used to destroy us and with such ruthlessness and malice the likes of which I have never seen in my entire life. And for what?” Corona said.                                    

With Hector Lawas