Senator-judges: We can’t be bribed
Posted at 02/12/2012 9:04 PM | Updated as of 02/13/2012 11:59 AM
Jinggoy to defense: Reveal your source
MANILA, Philippines -- Senator-judges on Sunday denied receiving any bribe from Malacanang in order to snub a Supreme Court-issued temporary restraining order on the opening of the bank accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
In an interview with radio dzMM, senator-judge Jinggoy Estrada said he is disappointed with the statement today by the defense and asked them to reveal their source.
“Nakataya rito ang integridad at honor ng bawat senador…Kapag bukas nag-decide ang majority na i-defy ang TRO, ano na lang ang sasabihin ng taumbayan?” he said.
In a separate statement, senator-judge Francis Pangilinan said: “I hope this is not mean to divert the attention of the public on the main issue: which is whether or not the Chief Justice has dollar bank accounts that he failed to disclose in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.”
Senator-judge Ralph Recto also chimed in, saying: “I have not received a call from [Executive Secretrary Paquito Ochoa Jr.] and I cannot be bribed.”
For his part, senator-judge Panfilo Lacson said: “What the members of the defense team are alleging are pure rubbish and nothing more.”
Senator-judge Gregorio Honasan, meanwhile, said: “Don’t make allegations without hard evidence.”
Earlier on Sunday, the defense alleged that Malacanang offered P100 million for senators to skirt around the TRO on the subpoena issued on 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.
Crucial caucus
The Senate will discuss on Monday morning whether or not the Supreme Court has jurisdiction over the trial of Corona, including his so-called dollar accounts.
Estrada described the caucus tomorrow as “crucial.”
He said he and his colleagues will also take up the statements of the defense before Senate President and Presiding Judge Juan Ponce Enrile.
Asked if the defense members are liable for contempt, Estrada said: “That’s possible, but I will have to consult with my colleagues.”
Prosecution weighs in
The prosecution, meanwhile, said the allegations are “very irresponsible.”
Lead prosecutor Niel Tupas Jr. said, “Respondent CJ is trying to demonize the Executive, and blackmail the Senate to vote in their favor as part of ther mind conditioning strategy. Respondent has no respect for the constitutional process of impeachment, the Senate impeachment tribunal, and the Senators.”
In a separate statement, prosecution spokesperson Miro Quimbo said: “We witnessed tonight how the Chief Justice led a hostage taking of the Senator-Judges, the impeachment proceedings and the quest for transparency and accountability. Using rumors and hearsay evidence, which ironically they had been opposing regularly throughout the hearing, counsels for the Chief Justice practically put a gun on the Senators judges to scare them. The timing could not have been more suspicious as the Senators are about to decide in a caucus tomorrow whether to go ahead and open the dollar bank accounts.” - by Ira Pedrasa, ABS-CBNnews.com; Ryan Chua and RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
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Liar goes to hell!
Kumakalam na ang kamay ni taning (evil) na i welcome si Corona sa kaharian nya kasi gusto nya ang mga taong naniniwala sa kanilang sarili higit pa sa Diyos. Sino ba ang boss ng mga depensa bakit nagiging liars na sila? Sagot dyan simply lang kasi pati nga si satanas nasasapawan na ni Corona sa kasinungalingan hahaha... Malamang gagawin syang kanang kamay ni taning pagdating nya sa impyerno hahaha. I pity Corona!
Corona defense now in control of impeachment proceedings
Does anyone really care what Sen. Enrile says or does, now that he has been well and truly cowed by the CoronArroyo corruption cabal, along with the other feckless Senators comprising the ‘Senate 13’ The defense now has Enrile’s measure; pure and simple and they will continue to run roughshod over him whenever and wherever suits their fancy.
the mystic little lady
PS Bank Katipunan branch manager tiongson confirmed that the bank documents used by the prosecution to subpoena the bank accounts of corona were fake. if indeed the president of PS bank and manager tiongson are correct in saying that the prosecution used fake documents to force the issuance of subpoena, it is a shame that the senate allowed itself to be used and abused by the prosecution camp.
corona's bank accounts are out in the open because the senate issued a subpoena to the banks using the fake documents handed by the little lady to the prosecution people as the basis. shame to the impeachment court. this impeachment turned out to be a venue for fishing expedition, wherein legal and constitutional rights of the accuse are not being respected.
umali said that an anonymous little lady handed him the fake documents right inside the senate at around 2:30 pm while on his way out of the senate. however, according to the report of the senate sergeant of arms, the CCTV did not have a recording of the mystic little lady.
is the little lady an apparition? is that the reason why the CCTV footage failed to record her presence? does it mean that congressman umali has a third eye? wow, isn't creepy?
or is this investigation of senate sergeant of arms a confirmation of a lie peddled by the prosecution. was these fake documents a result of devine intervention that umali can't give any sound and plausible reasons? or is it a result of devine manipulation, falsification and relentless persecution?
kaya pala walang mga project
kaya pala walang mga project is Noynoy... tsk3x
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.
Good Try Defense!!! Sorry hindi naniwala angsambayanan
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 magakaksaya na manuhol. Dahil obvious naman na hindi kayo mananalo.
That's basically the strategy
That's basically the strategy of the defense now, is to destroy the credibility of the Impeachment Trial to gain favor in stopping the Impeachment Trial filed by the defense before the Supreme Court.
Corona on KAMIKAZE mode....
Corona and the defense wants to drag the impeachment court to hell just like Corona dragging the supreme court to hell.
How much is 1 TRO worth Corona???
now you are trying to price the senators also...
go senate judges. do what is
go senate judges. do what is right for the sake of Filipino people. people don't buy the defense statement. what Filipinos want is to put Corona in jail