Defense gets Friday deadline to dodge contempt

Monday, February 13, 2012

LAWYERS for impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona will have to explain to the Senate why they should not be cited for contempt for alleging Malacañang offered bribes to senators.

Before the order was given, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV told defense lawyer Jose Roy III to name the defense's anonymous source and to name the senators that Malacañang allegedly approached with a bribe.

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Roy said, however, that he had no names to give. He repeatedly assured the impeachment court that the defense panel meant no disrespect toward the Senate.

Trillanes moved to order Corona's lawyers to submit a legal memorandum on why they should not be cited for contempt, a motion that went unopposed on the Senate floor.

The defense panel was given until Friday to submit its explanation.

Before this, Roy had to undergo a series of scolding from senators who were slighted by allegations that P100 million had been offered to senators in exchange for disregarding a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, one of the first to deny the allegations after they were made at a press conference Sunday night, dared the defense panel to "man up" and name their source.

"If you believe this story, that is up to you. But when you faced the media, and passed this story on to the public with little more than your faces to back you up, then you crossed the line," Estrada, the first to take the floor on Monday, said.

He added the defense panel should be made accountable for what he said was an attempt to "besmirch the reputation of this institution which has always stood as a bastion for democracy, truth, decency, and integrity."

Estrada also said that he had not been approached by anyone, and any attempts to bribe him would be a waste of time.

Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano also took Roy to task, likening the accusation to alleging that a court could be bought the night before that court is expected to make a decision.

"That is a terrible allegation, your honor. But that is not the allegation that we made," Roy said, adding all the defense meant to do was inform the public that Malacañang was trying to interfere with the impeachment process. He added Corona and the defense panel were being subjected to trial by publicity.

"Go ahead, engage in a trial by publicity with the prosecution," the minority leader said. "But why make up stories about the referee?"

Senator Pia Cayetano, meanwhile, told Roy that the defense's statements were out of bounds.

"To degrade the courts transcends the limits of fair comment," she said. "Counsels must be reminded that it is their duty to uphold the dignity of the court, not to promote distrust."

Senator Franklin Drilon, senior Liberal at the Senate, pointed out a statement made during the press conference that Corona is willing to open his bank accounts to the court.

He asked whether that meant Roy was authorized to disclose Corona's bank records. Roy said Corona would make the disclosure himself.

At a chance interview during a break in the trial, defense spokesman Tranquil Salvador III said the impeachment court's order was expected. Roy had said the same while facing senators. (Jonathan de Santos/Sunnex)