InterAksyon.com
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MANILA, Philippines -- On the proposal of Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile to end the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona by end of May, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has another suggestion: end it by June 7, which is the scheduled end of the Congress session.
Speaking at the resumption of the impeachment trial on Monday, Santiago said the impeachment court has the "authority to order the conclusion of trial on or before June 7, so as to allow judgment to be promulgated before Congress ends this session."
Santiago said that under the Rules of Court, specifically Rule 133, Section 6, the court has the power to stop further evidence on a particular point "when the evidence is already so full that some witnesses to same point cannot be reasonably expected to be additionally persuasive. But this power should be exercised with caution."
Santiago also cited Rule 119, Sec. 11, Paragraph (c) of the Rules of Court: "The prosecution and the defense may, in that order, present rebuttal and non-rebuttal evidence unless the court, in furtherance of justice, permits them to present additional evidence bearing upon the main issue."
Earlier, Enrile, who is presiding judge in the trial, said he wanted to end the trial by the end of May and was willing to extend the trial up until 10 p.m. to accomplish this goal.
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