Chief Justice Renato Corona, the defense team’s final and much-awaited witness, will finally testify on May 22, Tuesday, his lawyers told the impeachment court.
As earlier promised, Corona will take the witness stand following the testimonies of hostile witnesses Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, and complainants Risa Hontiveros, Harvey Keh and Emmanuel Santos on the alleged dollar accounts.
The defense has finished presenting the four on Wednesday but asked for a two-day break to prepare Corona’s rebuttal.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile granted the defense’s request but stated that there will be no more postponements to be allowed as they have to finish the trial this month.
In an interview after the proceedings, lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas said their team was able to prove that the purported report on Corona’s bank transaction records were unverified.
Morales earlier presented a report from the Anti-Money Laundering Council which allegedly showed that Corona owns 82 dollar accounts with $10-million transactional balance and $12-million fresh deposits.
“Wala namang ebidensyang kaniya yung mga dollar account eh. Sila na nagsabi na hindi nila vinerify yung report,” Cuevas said.
When asked if the chief justice will testify on the dollar account issue, Cuevas said it remains a legal battle since they still have a pending petition before the Supreme Court to hinder the disclosure of the dollar accounts.
Nevertheless, the lead defense counsel maintained that the chief justice will face all the charges against him.
“Maipagtatagumpay naming maipaliwanag iyan lahat,” he said.
As earlier promised, Corona will take the witness stand following the testimonies of hostile witnesses Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, and complainants Risa Hontiveros, Harvey Keh and Emmanuel Santos on the alleged dollar accounts.
The defense has finished presenting the four on Wednesday but asked for a two-day break to prepare Corona’s rebuttal.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile granted the defense’s request but stated that there will be no more postponements to be allowed as they have to finish the trial this month.
In an interview after the proceedings, lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas said their team was able to prove that the purported report on Corona’s bank transaction records were unverified.
Morales earlier presented a report from the Anti-Money Laundering Council which allegedly showed that Corona owns 82 dollar accounts with $10-million transactional balance and $12-million fresh deposits.
“Wala namang ebidensyang kaniya yung mga dollar account eh. Sila na nagsabi na hindi nila vinerify yung report,” Cuevas said.
When asked if the chief justice will testify on the dollar account issue, Cuevas said it remains a legal battle since they still have a pending petition before the Supreme Court to hinder the disclosure of the dollar accounts.
Nevertheless, the lead defense counsel maintained that the chief justice will face all the charges against him.
“Maipagtatagumpay naming maipaliwanag iyan lahat,” he said.
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