Corona lawyers told to explain 'bribe try' claims

Monday, February 13, 2012

MANILA (2nd update, 3:37 p.m.) -- The impeachment court ordered Monday lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona to explain why they should not be cited for contempt over claims of bribe try by Malacanang to senator-judges.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the defense team should submit by the end of the week a written explanation why they should not be cited for contempt.

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The move came after Corona's lawyers repeatedly refused to name the source who allegedly told them that Malacañang offered senator-judges P100-million in exchange for disregarding a temporary restraining order (TRO) that the Supreme Court (SC) issued on disclosing Corona’s dollar accounts.

Lawyer Ramon Esguerra earlier said they are ready to face contempt charges as they stand against naming their source on Malacañang's alleged bribe try.

Esguerra said the lawyers are willing to be cited in contempt and even go to jail to protect their source.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday denounced "in the strongest possible terms" the action of the defense Sunday night.

Estrada challenged the defense lawyers to name their source.

"Magpaka-lalaki tayo," he said.

In a press conference Sunday, lawyer Dennis Manalo said according to an unnamed source, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. had been urging senator-judges to disregard the TRO that the SC issued Thursday to keep Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) from disclosing details of Corona's dollar accounts there.

The defense panel repeatedly refused to name its source, but lawyer Jose Roy III said the anonymous source is "very reliable."

Corona's lawyers will invoke attorney-client privilege if pressed by the Senate to reveal the anonymous source, their spokesman Tranquil Salvador III said in a text message Monday afternoon.

Defense spokesperson Karen Jimeno also said the defense team is ready to face the consequences of their statements.

"They did not accuse senators of receiving the P100 million but that Malacañang is trying to intervene with the impeachment process," she said in a text message to reporters. (Sunnex)