Lawyer: Vizconde not a prosecution witness

Monday, February 13, 2012

LAURO Vizconde should be labeled as a "witness called by the prosecution" and not "prosecution witness" when he appears Tuesday at the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, his lawyer said Monday.

"Vizconde may not be strictly labeled a 'prosecution witness' but as a 'witness called by the prosecution.' We believe this distinction is vital to Mr. Vizconde, and his testimony should be taken in this context," said lawyer Ferdinand Topacio.

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Topacio said the House prosecution panel has asked Vizconde to testify at the trial on Tuesday as it tackles Article 3 of the impeachment complaint against Corona.

Article 3 delves into Corona's alleged failure to meet Article 7, section 7 (3) of the 1987 Constitution, which says a member of the judiciary must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence after flip-flopping in final and executory cases.

House prosecutors said Vizconde, whose family was murdered in 1991, will testify on his supposed meeting with the Chief Justice and Dante Jimenez of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC). The meeting allegedly took place sometime in September 2010.

"During said meeting, CJ (Chief Justice) divulged information regarding Mr. Vizconde's case," prosecutors said in their request for subpoena.

Topacio said his client hopes that the "names of incumbent members of the Supreme Court to be mentioned in his testimony as having tried to influence the outcome of the case against Mr. Hubert Webb, be subject to appropriate action by the concerned branches of government."

“There are many of us in the legal community who will continuously help Mr. Vizconde, offer him prayers and wish him the best of luck for tomorrow,” he added.

Corona allegedly revealed in their meeting purported efforts of Associate Justice Antonio Carpio to pressure other SC justices to acquit one of the primary accused in the massacre of Vizconde’s family. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)