Prosecution: Corona camp trying to discredit Senate impeach court

The prosecution team on Sunday accused Chief Justice Renato Corona’s camp of trying to discredit the Senate impeachment court after his lawyers bared Malacañang’s alleged attempt to bribe senator-judges with P100 million each.
 
Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares, one of the public prosecutors in Corona’s trial, said the defense camp’s move was a “desperate attempt to threaten the Senate.”
 
“Grabe itong ginawa ng defense. That was a declaration of war against the Senate… Kung papansin mo, pinapalabas nila na walang credibility ang Senate impeachment court,” he said in a phone interview.
 
He also described the statements made by the defense camp as “contemptuous,” and a means for “paving the way for a walkout.”
 
“I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the senator-judges stand up tomorrow (Monday) and ask them kung saan nila nakuha ang information, or even threaten them with contempt,” he said.
 
Corona’s lawyers earlier accused Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. of pressuring senator-judges to defy a Supreme Court order to stop the opening of Corona’s dollar account in the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) in exchange of P100 million each.
 
Ochoa has denied the defense camp’s claim, describing the allegation as “unsubstantiated” and a “desperate gimmick.”
 
Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, one of the prosecution’s spokespersons, said that the defense lawyers “took hostage the Senate” with its bribery allegations against some senator-judges.
 
“The defense with its declaration tonight seeks to discredit the entire Senate impeachment court and all decisions it will be making in the next few days in their desperation to prevent the disclosure of the bank accounts,” he said in a separate statement.
 
He also called on the senator-judges “not be swayed by these reckless and malicious imputations coming from the defense.”
 
The senator-judges are expected to hold a caucus on Monday to decide what action it will take towards the high court's temporary restraining order on Corona’s dollar accounts.
 
However, last Thursday, Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, who presides over the trial, directed the prosecution panel not to present any evidence on Corona’s dollar accounts until the Senate reaches a decision on the TRO. - Andreo C. Calonzo/KBK, GMA News