AS judges in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, the senators must be allowed some leeway in extracting answers from witnesses to be presented by both the prosecution and the defense teams so that they would be able to render fair judgment on the petition to remove the Supreme Court head.

Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero and Gregorio Honasan stressed this point amid some observations that he and fellow senator-judges appeared to have aided both the prosecution and the defense teams during the impeachment trial last Wednesday and Thursday.

“Kapag nanood ka sa Supreme Court at tiningnan mo ang tanong ng mga justices (senators) akala mo alam mo na ‘yung boto nila. Pero kung ang ating mga tanong ay may tendency na kumiling sa isa, hindi ibig sabihin na doon na tayo. You have to elicit kasi ‘yung kind of answers na kailangan mo (bilang judge),” Cayetano said.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan has appealed to the public and the parties concerned to allow the Impeachment Court some leeway in conducting the proceedings. “Tapusin natin ang proseso. Let it unfold. The claimed impartiality of the Impeachment Court kung ngayon pa lang may comment na about lawyering (for either party), sinong malilintikan d’yan? Public interest,” he said.

“That is up for each juror to look out for not only for himself but for the institution and the process altogether. Perhaps it is not out of bias, but rather, out of frustration why some jurors are perceived to be like that,” Escudero said.

Sen. Franklin Drilon declined to comment on insinuations that he supposedly helped the prosecution panel Tuesday to secure Corona's Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) from the High Tribunal's Clerk of Court Enriquetta Vidal. He also refused to comment on his "verbal tussle" with former Sen. Francisco Tatad Thursday night when the latter observed that  Drilon almost acted as a "prosecutor."

People at the Senate session hall reportedly heard Drilon bark at Tatad:"What is your problem? Then disqualify me."

Sought for comment on the incident, Drilon said:"Ayokong magkomento diyan. Maliit na bagay lang 'yan. Let's talk about the impeachment."

“Importante dito kaunting pasensya. I suggest instead of premature judgments and conclusions, let’s observe and not be ruled by judgments that are uncalled for. Hindi naman p’wedeng pigilang magsalita (ang mga senator-judges). I’m not saying I’m comfortable, but I can say I am satisfied with the way things are going,” Honasan said,

He admitted that the Impeachment Court was having some “birth pains” since the proceedings are a unique process. But there is still room for improvement. “Work in progress naman itong trial, eh. We have to go through this painful process. It’s not a good feeling but I’m confident this will make the institutions stronger. What is on trial is not only the Chief Justice (Corona) but everybody. Our capacity to dispense justice not only to CJ but to every Filipino,” he said.

Cayetano cited the concern raised by Escudero regarding some “complicated” allegations embodied in the Article 2 of the impeachment complaint filed by the prosecution against Corona. 

“Nakita ko ‘yung Article 2, maraming nalilito doon. Si Sen. Escudero nagtanong din tungkol doon. Kung pinayagan ako na tanungin na buong buo, I think mas malilinawan tayong lahat at ang aking sarili ay malilinawan ko rin. Simple lang ‘yung tanong ko. Sabi nila hindi ni-report sa SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) ‘yung ibang properties. Kaya ang tanong ko sa kanila, paano n’yo alam ‘yan kung hindi n’yo pa pala nakikita ‘yung SALN (ni Corona)?” he said.

“These questions are not meant to put them in a bad or good light or to help them. It is meant to clarify the issue. Tandaan natin na hindi katulad (ang Impeachment Court) ng isang presentation ng isang committee hearing na p’wedeng mag-present ang prosecution o p’wedeng mag-argue. Lahat ng ebidensya dito dapat ay lalabas sa bibig ng witness,” Cayetano said.