The Corona Impeachment Trial: Taking everyone down

The impeachment proceedings certainly took a different turn yesterday. It made for good copy and interesting TV.

The way things were going, it seemed like the prosecution team had it in its head to just take everyone down, in their quest to get Chief Justice Renato Corona out of the halls of the Supreme Court in the most shameful way possible.

Corona’s children, Atty. Arthur Lim and the ever feisty Miriam Defensor Santiago were all highlights of the 7^th Day of court proceedings.

Only 18 showed up

What was so important with six senators were missing at yesterday’s trial? If the court can subpoena witnesses to drop everything and show up, why aren’t all the Senator Judges present during the proceedings as well?

Could it be that the recent days have been so slow moving, the senator judges could feel their nails growing that some of them decided to skip the procedures and just catch up later on?

In the US, the jurors are required to attend all the dates of a trial so that they can have full understanding of the evidence and testimony as presented by both the prosecution and defense teams.

Our senators were elected by the people to do their job. Being present at the impeachment trial is part of their job description. If such lax attendance continues, it may affect the final outcome of the procedures. Everyone wants a quick and honest resolution to all of this, and for that to happen, due importance must be given to the impeachment trial.

Even Senator Lapid, whose wife was arrested in the US for smuggling $50,000 managed to get his butt at Corona’s trial for graft and corruption. The hypocrisy is once again quite shameful. No better place to hide your shame than to focus on someone else’s.

Shouldn’t our senators be just as present for the daily proceedings of the trial? After all, this is an important and historic case: the very first time in our history that we are holding an impeachment trial for the Chief Justice of the highest court of the land. Unless it’s a matter of life or death or they physically cannot handle the trial proceedings, all the judges should be present.

Tupas sat it out

Perhaps it’s in response to the bad performance of lead prosecutor Neil Tupas the last few days of the impeachment proceedings, but leading the prosecution team yesterday was private prosecutor Arthur Lim.

However, this move may not necessarily have been a good one, since Lim managed to upset a Senator Judge.

Upset is a kind word. When you get someone’s blood pressure to shoot up to 180/90, you have royally pissed off that person.

Arthur Lim led the way

Talk about lack of deference. Prosecutor Arthur Lim talked back, interrupted and basically followed the beat of his own drum. At one point during his questioning of witness Kim Henares, he was reprimanded by Senate President Enrile about how he would phrase his questions.

Enrile told him the documents should have been submitted and marked, rather than ask leading questions of the witness. Lim seemed to be a bit quite theatrical with his performance at the Senate yesterday. Perhaps he was just basking in being under the spotlight or that he just couldn’t contain his excitement about being part of such a historical case. However, his demeanor managed to irritate some of the judges.

He was also accused of wasting the court’s time when he wouldn’t answer Senator Judge Miriam’s questions with a direct yes or no.

Showdown against a judge

For one thing, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago once again took to the mike, much to the delight of the media and other observers as she gave the private prosecutor a good dressing down. She even said that she and the other senators had every right to shout if they so desired. Santiago also had to reiterate that the counsels should answer questions based on the rules of court set by the senators.

For those who missed the excitement, here’s some of the more interesting dialogue that was exchanged:

Lim: “Your honor, please, to answer the question … may I be permitted to point out, first of all.…”

Santiago: “What do you have to point out? Answer! Yes or no? I am tired of hearing your voice!”

“Do not override me! We’ve already heard that of your pleadings! Do not be sententious because every hour counts! Just tell us whether the respondent is being asked to answer charges under the antigraft (law). Yes or no,”

Lim: “It says here in the complaint that there is violation of the antigraft (law)”

Santiago: “I can read! Give me the presumption of literacy! And don’t ever overstep yourself. Do not engage in the court with me,”

If every day of the court proceedings were this “exciting”, more people would definitely stay abreast of the trials.

On the other hand, some people have observed that Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago has repeatedly showed her shameless arrogance since she returned from her leave by scolding her colleagues and fellow legislators in public, which they feel is uncalled for especially from a person of her stature. Her misdemeanor and misconduct in the impeachment court, they say, make her undeserving to be called "Honorable." Some are even surprised why people tolerate the way she behaves, including the members of the Senate. Well, this must be the feisty senator’s brand and maybe the members of the Senate tolerate her because it is, for them, acceptable. Let’s hear from them.

Tax filings of Corona’s children

The 7^th Day of the impeachment trial focused on the Income tax return (or lack thereof) of the children of the man on trial, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue Chief Kim Henares was asked to testify on the Income Tax Returns of both Corona’s daughters. One ITR had declared just over P8,000 of annual income, while another daughter hardly had an ITR filed. The prosecution argued that the tax documents presented showed the possibility of hidden wealth of the Corona family.

What is disturbing about this is that it is not the children of Corona who are on trial but their father. From the documents presented, it is obvious that they seem to have some accounting problems going on, because it seems quite impossible to be able to purchase property for millions of dollars if you make only a month’s salary of minimum wage for the entire year.

Take no prisoners

Everyone is being dragged down in an attempt to get Corona out. This take no prisoners approach is quite disturbing and highly unfair. It’s also quite scary, a form of terrorism and intimidation.

Though some may say this is karma for the guilty, we have to remember that a man is innocent until proven guilty. It is not up to the public to decide that but a fair and impartial court based on credible witness testimony and relevant evidence. Also, the sins of the father do not necessarily translate to the sins of the children.

If the prosecution wants to win this case, they better do it cleanly instead of going on fishing expeditions, releasing private documents to the media and accusing everyone they can think of just to bring one man down.

Smearing the names of other family members is not the way to do it, no matter how guilty we may think someone is.

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