SENATOR Miriam Defensor-Santiago had to cut short attending yesterday’s resumption of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona after her blood pressure shot up – minutes after she had another “encounter” with a member of the prosecution team, Arthur Lim.

Santiago reportedly felt ill a few minutes after she scolded private prosecutor Lim for “engaging” her in a debate which she said is not allowed under the Rules of Impeachment crafted by the Senate, sitting as Impeachment Court.

The senator’s blood pressure reportedly reached 180/90 as recorded by Senate physician Renato Sison. Santiago’s media relations officer Peter Tom Tolibas said that the senator requested a doctor to check on her blood pressure at the senator’s lounge, adjacent to the session hall where the trial was being held. She was  advised to go home to rest.

The senator got irked at Lim when the latter keep on butting in while the senator was still asking him questions concerning the specific charges that the prosecution wanted Corona to be convicted of.

“I am a senator-judge. You cannot heckle me. You cannot engage in an argumentation with me,” Santiago told Lim. She noted that in accusing Corona of non-filing of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) the prosecution panel was apparently confused whether they wanted to charge Corona with violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or violation of Republic Act No. 6713 the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.  

“Ito bang respondent (Corona) ay pinagbibintangan mo sa ilalim ng anti-graft law? Yes or no?,” Santiago asked Lim to which he replied:”Opo.” She then asked Lim to enumerate which provisions in the anti-graft law that Corona allegedly violated. Lim cited at least three sections of the law that the chief magistrate allegedly violated.

But Santiago noted that the prosecution also intends to inquire into Corona’s alleged ill-gotten wealth in relation to his non-filing of his SALN when he became member of the High Court.        

“The problem is that the presumption of unexplained wealth is when the income and assets do not tally. This is a presumption laid down not in anti-graft act. It should have been included in the separate law, the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials. That is why we are a little confused here,” she said.

Meanwhile disapported prosecutor Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas yesterday left the session hall in the middle of the impeachment trial after the prosecution panel prevented him from speaking and arguing.

In an interview, Fariñas expressed dismay saying that what he wanted was to help the panel argue on the impeachment trial and prove that Corona is guilty of the impeachment charges filed against him.

“Bahala na kayo diyan,“ Fariñas said as he walked out of the plenary session talking to his colleagues. Para akong manok na binubusalan.”

However, he returned to the plenary to observe the proceedings.

The counsels of Corona yesterday finally sought the “inhibition and disqualification” of Sen. Franklin Drilon from participation in the impeachment trial for allegedly showing bias toward the prosecution panel.

In a 15-page motion, retired Justice Serafin Cuevas, Corona’s lead counsel, asked the Impeachment Court to order Drilon’s inhibition and disqualification since he allegedly helped the prosecution gather evidence against the chief magistrate such as when he managed to force High Tribunal’s Clerk of Court Enriqueta Vidal to submit to the impeachment body Corona’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) last January 17.

In a related development, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has volunteered to testify for the prosecution in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

In a chance interview, De Lima, who was rumored to be eyeing a seat in the Senate in 2013, bared that she was just waiting for a formal summons coming from the Upper Chamber sitting as an impeachment court.

De Lima said that she has already sat down with House prosecutors discussing the parameters of her possible testimony.

The former chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights bared that the prosecution panel in the impeachment is set to ask the impeachment court to subpoena her.

“If (I’m) subpoenaed, yes I will (attend). I need to appear if I’m summoned,” she told reporters.

Doubting Corona’s declaration in his SALN that he has no vehicle at all, the House Prosecution panel has requested the Senate Impeachment Court to subpoena Land Transportation Office chief Virginia Torres to appear in the impeachment trial next week.

Torres was requested to bring documents to confirm whether or not Corona owns motor vehicles.

“The prosecutors respectfully request the issuance of subpoena ad testificandum and subpoena duces tecum requiring Torres to attend and testify at the hearing in relation to the instant proceedings and to bring with her on January 30 the original and certified true copies of Certificate of Registration of all vehicles recorded and registered in the name of Renato Corona and Ma. Cristina Corona,” the request read.