Ochoa: Defense allegations ‘desperate gimmick’
Malacanang says defense allegation a ‘squid tactic’
MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) - Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. called the accusations of the defense of Chief Justice Renato Corona as “unsubstantiated” and a “desperate gimmick.”
In a statement issued to the media, Ochoa said: “As a member of the Bar, I respect the right of the lawyers of the Chief Justice to protect the interests of their client, within the bounds of the law. However, citing rumors to prove baseless accusations to support their cause goes against the principles of decent and ethical lawyering.”
He said: “It is a desperate gimmick that does not belong in the proceedings of any court of law, especially an impeachment trial.”
He said the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, is capable of making decisions to provide Corona a fair trial.
Meanwhile, Malacanang on Sunday called on Corona to “stop running and stop hiding” and inflicting on the public “idle talk.”
In a separate statement, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, “Their conspiracy theories concerning the Executive Secretary [Paquito Ochoa Jr.] is a diversionary tactic to distract attention from the evidence coming to light in the impeachment trial.”
He said the defense chooses to use “squid tactics” in order to deviate from the real issues.
“The Senate has been conducting the impeachment trial in full light of day; the prosecution and defense have been given every opportunity to have themselves heard,” he said. “We can only surmise that the defense has run out of ways to conceal the culpability of its client, and has engineered this move as a last-ditch effort to confuse the proceedings and prevent a resolution.”
SALN disclosure
“The only danger in the disclosure of the Chief Justice’s assets is the Chief Justice’s defense: the integrity of the banking system, our system of laws, the cause of justice and good governance are not endangered by the proceedings of the impeachment court,” he added.
Earlier on Sunday, the defense alleged that Malacanang offered P100 million for senators to skirt around the Supreme Court-issued temporary restraining order on the subpoena issued on Chief Justice Renato Corona’s alleged dollar accounts.
Citing a “very reliable” source, defense lawyer Dennis Manalo said Ochoa has been contacting senator-judges not to honor the halt order.
Another lawyer, Jose “Judd” Roy III, alleged the money will be sourced from government savings to be used for “soft projects.” The funds will supposedly be released this week.
Web of lies
In another statement, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the supposed bribe is a part of a “web of lies.”
He claimed Corona has even accused the Bureau of Internal Revenue of investigating the financial books of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). Corona’s lead defense lawyer, Serafin Cuevas, is a member of the INC.
Abad said this is not true. “Such baseless allegations are irresponsible and can only erode the credibility of the defense lawyers. Their energies and time are better spent preparing for tomorrow's continuing hearings on the hidden but now exposed dollar and peso accounts of Corona in PSBank and BPI, which have been admitted as true not just by the bank officers and even by Corona himself.”
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VOTE: FOR SIN ATOR, VP,
VOTE: FOR SIN ATOR, VP, PRESIDENT, BRGY CAPTAIN, BRGY TANOD...ETC..
Joker Arroyo,
Miriam Santiago,
Manny Villar,
Ralph Recto,
Francis Escudero,
Aquilino Pimentel III,
Loren Legarda,
Gregorio Honasan,
Bong Revilla,
Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,
Vicente Sotto III,
Jinggoy Estrada,
Juan Ponce Enrile.
PANG MASANG __________?_____________.
? DOLLARS ACCOUNT NYO PROTEKTAHAN KO
Decide on Corona now!
The Senate is being pressured by Corona's defense on 2 fronts, one thru publicity, casting doubts with the allegations of bribery. Another thru the impending threat of a TRO.
The twin tactics are meant to stop the impeachment process cold in its tracks. If the Senate decides to pursue the opening of the dollar accounts, then the defense will walk out and run to the SC.
What the Senate should do is decide on Corona now, today, before it is entangled with a TRO.
A walk out by the defense just means they have abandoned the impeachment process, not recognizing it in spite of their coy declarations.
The Senate can decide on the impeachment at any time, with even just the facts presented so far.
Since Corona refuses to show his dollar accounts, then it is a sign of guilt, same as flight.
Let true justice prevail.
kangaroo court!
the senate sitting as an impeachment court allowed itself to be used and abused for persecution campaign and for fishing expedition. first, it rejected the motion of the defense to set a preliminary hearing. thus wasting the time of the impeachment court in the conduct of such hearing.
the senate in exercise of liberality has gone overboard in admitting questionable evidences coming from the pro...secution. take for instance the issuance of subpoena to PS bank and BPI. the bank documents submitted by the prosecution instrumental to the issuance of subpoena is evidently acquired illegally. the president of PS bank himself said during the hearing that no one from their bank has allowed the release of such documents. he further argued that there are differences between the bank documents of corona in PS bank and the documents presented by the prosecution.
if the president of PS bank is saying that they did not allow the release of such documents, and that no one from their bank has ever released such documents, it is safe to say that the bank documents presented by the prosecution is either fake or illegal. since the senate allowed the prosecution to use such documents acquired illegally, then they as an impeachment court lose the credibility to hear and decide this impeachment case.
the SC should stop the impeachment of corona, now!
the truth!
ACCUSATION: article 2 of the impeachment complaint alleges corona for violation of the constitution and or betrayed public trust when he failed to declare his SALN.
paragraph 2.1 and 2.2 of article 2 alleges the non-disclosure of CJ's SALN.
THE TRUTH: after sen-judge drilon managed to extract the SALN of corona, it marked a clear victory for the defense panel. after the impeachment court proved that corona regularly files his SALN, the prosecution announced that they are abandoning the accusation of non-disclosure of SALN since it was clearly proven that the defendant regularly files his SALN.
paragraph 2.3 of article 2: alleges that the CJ failed to declare some of his properties accurately in his SALN and that he committed perjury.
THE TRUTH: it was proven that the prosecution's accusation that corona owned 45 properties is nothing but a bloated list. more importantly, the law allows corrections in CJ's SALN. that being the case, no law has been violated not even perjury is applicable.
paragraph 2.4 of article 2: alleges that corona amassed ill-gotten wealth.
THE TRUTH: what many people should know is that the senate itself made a ruling that par. 2.4 of article 2 will no longer be tackled since article 2 itself does not allege corona of amassing ill-gotten wealth. the prosecution is prohibited by the senate impeachment court to tackle par. 2.4 of article 2. the prosecution needed to cure article 2 or toss the impeachment complaint back to prostituted congress before they can be allowed to touch the issue of ill-gotten wealth.
Nice try defense!!sorry hindi naniwala sambayanan
This is a sign of hopelessness, desperation, and an act of a loser. These so called “ abogado de campanilla” are now resorting to unconventional way hoping that a turn of event will favor them. As their strategy is eroding and the overwhelming evidences are coming out, these defense lawyers were caught in the losing end. Their last resort is the dirty work. What a shame….This is self -destruction….I feel sorry for these lawyers cause they committed to defend a losing client.
Good try defense lawyer!!! Try hard later!!! Be creative. You need a good story writer to come up with convincing gossip. Maybe you can try " sleep little cookie monster"
Kahit singko sentimos, walang magaaksaya para manuhol dahil defense is on the losing end.
credible
if atty dennis manalo wants to be credible, he should mention who among the senator-judges did ochoa first approach. then, manalo should follow up his allegations with cellphone photo of the alleged meeting, so we can see in the background where the event actually took place, if ever. otherwise, the defense is fast losing relevance. it must be very hard to defend a crook like corona, the defense are now resorting to creating lies.
dahil nahuli si Corona at
dahil nahuli si Corona at Midas sa pag nakaw ng pera na loan galing sa world bank. nandamay lang ang mga yan.
Wala na kasing lusot ang mga
Wala na kasing lusot ang mga Corona and defense kaya hindi na malaman kung anu-ano na ang iniisip na dahilan.
Kahit ano pa ang gawin ninyo paninira – hindi ninyo maloloko ang taong bayan sa mga kasinungalingan ninyo. Ang babaw naman ng inyo dahilan, para makaiwas lang sa mga bank accounts ni Corona na ipakita sa impeachment trial. Ang mga tao ay nanonood at nakikinig at alam namin kung sino ang nagsisinungalin.
Huling-huli na kasi kayo na kapag binuksan ang $ account ni Corona ay huling-huling ang $ money ay ay hindi nya inilagay sa SALN nya at ito ang hindi nya kayang kitain bilang isang CJ.
Pati mga senador ay sinasama ninyo sa mga kalokohan ninyo. Ang mga sinungaling ay babalik din sa inyo ang malas.
Kahit anung gawin ninyo tago ay mangangamoy din ang inyong baho.
Hindi ninyo makukuha ang simpatya ng taong bayan sa mga kasinungalingan ninyo.
Mga walang hiya at mandarambong!!! Nakakahiya kayo!!!
ngayon lang yata na realised
ngayon lang yata na realised ng defense na kapag bumagsak si Corona, sila ay babagsak din. huli na ang paninira nila sa judges senator. alam na ng taong bayan ang milyones nya sa banko.
It doesn't really matter if
It doesn't really matter if the dollar accounts will be opened or not. Even the defense already admitted that they exist. Yet they were not included in Corona's SALN which is already damning to Corona’s guilt. These and the many evidences already presented by the prosecution are more than enough to convict Corona. Corona is done; further facts against him that will be uncovered will just be icing on the cake. Corona is finished.