Evidence presented by prosecution from supposedly leaked bank records of Chief Justice Renato Corona is delaying the impeachment trial, the defense panel said Monday.
“Ang impact nito sa impeachment trial, it is causing delay… Kailangan pang hanapin kung saan nanggaling ang mga leaked bank documents na ito,” defense spokesperson Karen Jimeno told reporters.
A preliminary hearing could have prevented such delay, as evidence could have been properly presented during that period, she noted.
The inquiry on Corona’s bank accounts should be deemed irrelevant as it supports the prosecution’s claim on the chief magistrate’s alleged ill-gotten wealth,
Jimeno added.
“’Yung pagsusuri sa mga bank account, irrelevant dapat ito. Kaya nga ini-strike out na sa verified impeachment complaint ‘yung [paragraph] 2.4 na nag-a-acuse kay Chief Justice ng ill-gotten wealth.”
Burden of proof
Defense lawyer Rico Paulo Quicho said that they are waiting for the defense’s turn to present evidences.
“’Di pa po tapos magpaliwanag ang [prosekusyon]. ‘Di pa rin po tapos ang testimonya ng PSBank… Magkakaroon po ng panahon ang depensa na maglabas ng ebidensya,” he said.
Quicho noted that prosecution was inconsistent. “Hindi po nakakatulong ‘yung pag-di-disown nila [sa mga ebidensya at testigo] nila. “You do not do that in a case. You should stand by the testimony of your witness,” Quicho said.
Meanwhile, Tranquil Salvador, another spokesperson for the defense panel, noted that the burden
of proof on testimonial and documentary evidences as admissible in court falls on prosecution.
“’Yung binanggit po ni Senator Miriam Santiago na disputable presumption… ang burden nun po ay nasa prosekusyon… nasa kanila. Kailangan pong mapatunayan nila na admissible sa korte ang mga ebidensya nila,” Salvador said. — AL/VS, GMA News
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