InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines - A top lawyer of ABS-CBN Corp. has gone on leave to lead the private prosecution team of the House of Representatives for the trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona on Monday.
The Lopez-led broadcasting network, which is listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange, has confirmed that its general legal counsel is working with the team that would argue for the removal from office of the highest magistrate of the country.
“Atty. Mario Bautista has taken a leave from his functions and duties as General Counsel of ABS-CBN Corp. He informed us that he will take on the role of lead prosecutor at the CJ impeachment trial,” Bong Osorio, the broadcasting network’s head of corporate communications, told Interaksyon.com.
Sources said that aside from Bautista, four other top ABS-CBN executives are working for the House prosecution team: Maximilian Uy, chief legal counsel & assistant corporate secretary; Manuel Torres, corporate secretary; Maximilian Joseph Uy, legal services head and assistant corporate secretary; and Enrique Quiason, assistant corporate secretary.
The company, however, did not comment on the other four lawyers’ alleged participation in the prosecution team.
In a text message, Rep. Miro Quimbo, the House prosecution team spokesperson, said on Friday they are still asking for permission to release the names of their members but Bautista and Joemer Perez are already officially signing motions for them.
Bautista’s entry into the team was texted by Rep. Niel Tupas on December 26, 2011 at 6:20 pm.
The story about the ABS-CBN lawyers is now making the rounds in Facebook, with an accompanying Reuters company profile of the broadcasting firm and its set of officials.
